Oklahoma Broadband Office

The office was in Medford today for a demonstration of Tarana Wireless, Inc. technology being used by Oklahoma ISPs like Kanokla to serve rural customers in particularly remote locations. We met one such customer today in the area who uses the internet to help operate his ranch.

ICYMI. https://lnkd.in/ggzyHvhU

The office was in Atoka today to participate in the launch of a 360 Broadband fiber project to serve close to 200 homes and businesses with high-speed internet. Director Mike Sanders joined other state and local officials to commemorate the launch, including House Speaker Charles McCall III, Senator David Bullard and Representative-elect Ryan Eaves.

The Office was in Tahlequah this morning for the 2024 Northeast Oklahoma Regional Alliance Regional Summit, as Director Mike Sanders joined fellow panelists Senator Avery Frix and Garrett Wright for a round table discussion on rural economic development. Sanders highlighted the need for government and community leaders to establish relationships with local ISPs and to look for ways to collaborate to expand internet access, including via grant opportunities. Thank you to Jennifer Springer for the invitation and for moderating today’s event.

Director Mike Sanders was one of several speakers to address state business leaders at the Oklahoma Business Roundtable Inc meeting. He provided a comprehensive update on broadband expansion across Oklahoma and explained why broadband is just as important to economic development as other forms of infrastructure. Thank you to Mark Funke and the Roundtable for the invitation to share the good news on high-speed internet.

🎉 Another project launch in the books! 🎉 This morning the office joined FiberLink to commemorate the launch of a rural broadband project. We were grateful to be joined by state representatives Mark Lawson and Melissa Provenzano local officials, and others in celebrating the expansion of high-speed internet in rural Creek County. The project, funded through a $1.45 million federal grant administered by the OBO, coupled with $485,000 in matching funds from FiberLink, will connect 458 homes and businesses using fiber optic technology. Many thanks to CEO Mike Whelan and the rest of the FiberLink team for hosting a great event!

This afternoon, Chief Strategic Officer Edyn Rolls and our Federal Programs Officer Philip Powell participated in a panel discussion as part of the Connected Oklahoma Summit. They provided their perspective on the important role digital literacy plays in maximizing the benefits of broadband. A special thanks to the Cooperative Broadband Coalition for the invitation!

Quite a start to the week, talking through federal grant programs with Senator James Lankford’s field staff and workforce development with State Rep. Brian Hill. Keeping stakeholders informed of our progress allows for opportunities to improve areas that impact our grants, such as workforce and permitting.

More people and businesses will soon be getting access to reliable and affordable high-speed internet in Oklahoma! On September 26, the Oklahoma Broadband Governing Board tentatively awarded 50 CPF grants to 12 ISPs spanning 28 counties. To learn more about these projects you can view them on our State Broadband Maps page: https://lnkd.in/gUHaRrW4

The OBO team delivered good news to Oklahoma's federal delegation staff this week. The message -- We've awarded more than $500 million this year to build high-speed internet to over 72,000 homes and businesses in 57 of the state's 77 counties. Oklahomans are witnessing a once-in-a-generation investment that will lead to better health care, education and jobs!