Federal broadband funds coming to southwest Missouri

The Biden administration's Internet for All initiative is distributing funds to southwest Missouri.

Missouri Network Alliance LLC was awarded $14.5 million to expand middle mile high-speed internet infrastructure in the Show-Me State and Oklahoma, according to a news release. Middle mile refers to broadband infrastructure that carries large amounts of data over long distances.

In Missouri, the alliance is slated to expand internet infrastructure in McDonald, Jasper and Newton counties.

It's part of some $930 million in funding announced today by the Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration. The funding comes from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

"Much like how the interstate highway system connected every community in America to regional and national systems of highways, this program will help us connect communities across the country to regional and national networks that provide quality, affordable high-speed internet access," Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo said in the release.