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Tompkins County seeks $11.3 million in state ConnectAll funding to bring fiber to 553 locations
Summary
County staff reported an application to New York State’s ConnectAll county partnerships program for just over $11.3 million to extend fiber-to-the-home to 553 locations in seven towns, in partnership with Point Broadband; the application is under state review with no timeline provided.
Tompkins County staff said the county applied to New York State’s ConnectAll office under the county partnerships program for just over $11.3 million to extend fiber-to-the-home service to 553 locations in seven towns across the county. The application excludes the towns of Dryden and Caroline, which already have projects through the state’s municipal infrastructure program. Point Broadband is the proposed service partner and would contribute more than $3 million to the project, county staff reported.
The county remains in active contact with ConnectAll and its advisors at ECC Technologies while the state evaluates the application. County staff said the state has sought repeated clarifications and updated address lists; ConnectAll is reviewing cost-per-location estimates and may carve out locations already funded by other awards. Staff also said they do not yet have a timeline from the state for when awards will be announced.
One meeting participant calculated that the public-dollar component of the project equates to roughly $20,400 per location after accounting for the county’s requested funds and the developer contribution. County staff said point-of-service rules for long driveways mean that if the required extension from the right-of-way exceeds approximately 500 feet, property owners typically shoulder the additional cost. Staff offered to request a map breakdown by town from Point Broadband and said they would try to provide typical cost-per-foot figures on request.
Why it matters: The grant, if awarded, would extend fiber availability to residential addresses that currently lack wired broadband, narrowing coverage gaps across the county. County staff said the grant application is one path; if the request is not funded the county will explore other options.
Next steps: The county will follow up with ConnectAll and Point Broadband for a town-by-town distribution map, continue liaising with ECC Technologies, and encourage local officials to contact ConnectAll or Empire State Development if they have influence or information that could speed review.
Direct quotes and attributions below are taken from participants during the broadband discussion and are limited to speakers listed in the transcript.
