CAF II Auction Awards $12 million for Broadband Development in West Virginia

Nearly 8,000 rural locations in West Virginia have been selected to receive broadband access service through the Federal Communications Commission’s Connect America Fund Phase II (CAF II) auction.
The CAF II auction was created to provide funding for quality internet access to rural areas where providers would not typically serve due to cost. Three internet companies will collectively receive $11,997,199 over the next 10 years for buildouts in West Virginia, the FCC announced August 28.

According to the FCC, 713,176 locations nationwide will be served with high-speed internet access as a result of CAF II funding at a cost allocation of $1.49 billion. The FCC states winning bidders must provide long-form applications to the agency that further detail their plans on how funds will be utilized. Once a winning bidder’s long-form application is approved, it will be authorized to receive funds. The FCC has tasked the winning providers to build out 40 percent of assigned locations within three years of receiving their funding, with buildout completed by the end of the sixth year of funding.

The FCC says winning bidders must provide long-form applications to the agency that further detail their plans on how they will use the money. Once a winning bidder’s long-form application is approved, they will be authorized to start getting the funding.

The FCC is tasking the winning providers to build out 40 percent of assigned locations within three years of receiving their funding, with buildout completed by the end of the sixth year of funding.