LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Every Kentuckian and Hoosier will have high-speed internet connection at their home, when nearly $2 billion is invested in both states.

Kentucky will receive $1.1 billion to invest in connecting every resident in the state. Indiana is being allocated $868 million.

President Joe Biden announced plans this week to bring affordable, reliable broadband to every home and business in the U.S. aimed at transforming  underserved communities.

The President said high-speed internet is no longer a luxury but rather an “absolute necessity." He pledged that every household in the U.S. would have access by 2030, using cables made in the U.S.

The $42.5 billion approved by Congress for the program will eventually be distributed to broadband providers by state governments. 

Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, who has touted investments in the state's broadband infrastructure, said that existing projects, like Kentucky Wired, will be completed and expanded thanks to the funding.

"At the end of the day, this will all be integrated together, and it will certainly help bring this to rural Kentucky that much faster," Gov. Beshear said.

At a roundtable discussion with state and local leaders, U.S. Secretary of Commerce, Gina Raimondo, said that the money states are receiving is enough to finish projects like Kentucky Wired, the state-run project which aimed to build over 3,000 miles of high-speed, high-capacity fiber optic cable in every county in Kentucky.

"There have been other initiatives to bring internet to residents in Kentucky under the Governor's leadership, but this is enough money to finish the job," the Commerce Secretary said.

The BEAD program in Kentucky prioritizes projects that serve areas lacking internet speeds above 25/3Mbps. According to the most recent data released last month by the Federal Communications Commission, Kentucky has over 258,000 unserved locations.

In Louisville, around 1,800 homes are still unserved, according to city officials. Many more homes have internet access, but cannot afford the connectivity.

Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg believes the federal funding will combat those issues.

"We will be able to get [unserved] homes connected, but that's just part of the equation," Greenberg said. "We also need to make sure that people can afford the services. So, if people here in west Louisville, for example, have access, but they can't afford it, it doesn't do their family any good."

Governor Andy Beshear continues to encourage Kentucky residents to sign up for the Affordable Connectivity Program, if they are eligible. The program helps ensure that households can afford the broadband they need for work, school, healthcare and more.

The Affordable Connectivity Program provides a discount of up to $30 per month toward internet service for eligible households. Eligible households can also receive a one-time discount of up to $100 to purchase a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet from participating providers under certain conditions. To find out more, click here. 

Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb tweeted that, "$868 million is a big win for #Indiana to continue the state’s progress of connecting all Hoosiers to quality, affordable and reliable high-speed internet."

Each state received at least $100 million, and government officials used a formula to determine each state's allocation.

"We've gone through more than a year of figuring out who's not connected, who doesn't have the internet, who has it, but they can't afford it, who has it, but it's low quality, and now Indiana will be receiving enough money to connect everyone," Sec. Raimondo said.

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