The Federal Communications Commission announced earlier this week that through the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund, millions of Americans will gain access to high-speed internet services.

The new service will be used to provide underserved rural locations. Approximately 99.7% of these locations will be receiving broadband with speeds of at least 100/20 Mbps, with an overwhelming majority (over 85%) getting gigabit-speed broadband. 

Charter Communications will be providing services to the most underserved areas at just over a million locations.  A total of 180 bidders will be expanding their networks over the next 10 years.

As the Washington Policy Center reported previously, the FCC is pushing for states to assume responsibility for broadband expansion in their territories.

The auction used a multi-round format in which bidders indicated in each round whether they would commit to provide service to an area at a given price and performance level. The auction was open to all providers and any wireless technology.

Each provider was required to meet periodic buildout goals over the next six years. The providers are incentivized to build out to all locations as fast as possible.

The Rural Digital Opportunity Fund Phase I auction is part of a broader effort by the FCC to close the digital divide in rural America and focus limited universal service funds on unserved areas that most need support. 

More information on the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund Phase I auction is available here including complete auction results and a map of winning bids.