The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) has approved nearly $53 million in California Advanced Services Fund (CASF) grants to expand broadband infrastructure in rural and tribal communities. The projects will bring high-speed internet access to more than 1,000 previously unserved locations across San Diego, Humboldt, Inyo, and Siskiyou counties.
The largest awards will fund two tribal-led broadband projects in San Diego County. The Iipay Nation of Santa Ysabel received up to $24.97 million to build a tribal-owned broadband network serving 182 locations through new middle-mile and last-mile fiber infrastructure. The Pauma Band of Luiseño Indians secured up to $24.98 million to deploy a tribal-owned network serving 383 locations using fiber-optic and fixed wireless technologies. Both tribes will own and operate the networks through newly established tribal internet service providers. The projects will also connect to California’s open-access Middle-Mile Broadband Network.
CPUC also approved more than $3 million for two rural broadband projects. Stimulus Technologies of California received up to $706,754 to provide fixed wireless service to 46 unserved locations in Darwin, Inyo County. The Siskiyou Telephone Company secured up to $2.3 million to expand fiber-optic and fixed wireless broadband service to 417 unserved locations across Siskiyou and Humboldt counties.
Several project areas are located in or near high fire-risk zones, where more reliable broadband infrastructure will strengthen emergency communications.