Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Connect LA: state says broadband builds have cut unconnected addresses from 424,619 to 127,108; $1.36B in infrastructure money remains under federal review
Summary
Connect LA reported a rapid reduction in unconnected Louisiana addresses and outlined how $1.36 billion of federal infrastructure money will target the hardest‑to‑serve areas; Commerce's June policy notice forced a rebid and resubmission that changed planned allocations.
Vineeth Angar, executive director of the state's broadband office (Connect LA), told the joint BESE and Board of Regents meeting that the state has made substantial progress closing the digital divide.
"When I started the office in 2021, 424,619 unique addresses in Louisiana did not have access to high speed affordable Internet," Angar said. He reported that by 2024 Connect LA’s work and private‑sector builds had reduced that number to about 127,108, moving statewide service coverage from roughly 83% to 93%.
Angar credited a mix of private investment, federal mapping…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
