Broadband Bill

Governor Deval Patrick created the Massachusetts Broadband Institute when he signed the Broadband Act on August 4, 2008. Chapter 231 of the Acts of 2008 established MBI as a new division within the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative. The legislation provides up to $40 million bonding authorization to close broadband gaps. Funding features include:

• Approach: public-private partnership with a co-investment model
  • Public bonds fund long-lived infrastructure (e.g. fiber or wireless towers)
  • Private partners fund complementary infrastructure and provide service
  • Private partners may leverage additional federal funds, e.g. RUS
    
• Level of funding assumes a regional approach
  
  • Greater economies of scale than town-at-a-time
    
• Provides for more detailed assessment of who is un-served

Facilitates the use of existing state assets for broadband deployment to the public

Enabling Legislation (pdf)

Link to legislation on mass.gov

Broadband bill press release (pdf)

Governor Patrick Signs Broadband Legislation to Prepare the Commonwealth for Access to Federal Stimulus Funds

Bill to Ensure Massachusetts Captures Funding Opportunities

BOSTON – Thursday, July 16, 2009 – As part of his Massachusetts Recovery Plan to secure the state’s economic future, Governor Deval Patrick has signed legislation to help leverage federal economic recovery funds to boost broadband services throughout Massachusetts.

Read the Legislation: An Act Providing for Economic Recovery
through Broadband Initiative >>

Read the April Press Release on Filing of the Bill >>

Read the Letter to the Legislature and Authorization Act >>