Successful Rural Digital Opportunity Fund Auction to Expand Broadband to Over 327,000 Rural Pennsylvanians

WASHINGTON, December 7, 2020—The Federal Communications Commission today announced that an estimated 327,000 rural Americans living and working in Pennsylvania will gain access to high-speed broadband through the Commission’s Rural Digital Opportunity Fund Phase I auction, according to auction results released today.

In Pennsylvania, the auction allocated $368,743,200.30 in support to expand broadband to 184,505 unserved homes and businesses over the next 10 years.  Nearly all locations in Pennsylvania that were eligible for the auction will be receiving access to broadband with speeds of at least 100/20 Mbps, with a majority (64%) getting gigabit-speed broadband.  The auction unleashed robust competition that resulted in more locations being awarded at less cost to Americans who pay into the FCC’s Universal Service Fund.

“This historic auction is great news for the residents of so many rural Pennsylvania communities, who will get access to high-quality broadband service in areas that for too long have been on the wrong side of the digital divide,” said FCC Chairman Ajit Pai.  “We structured this innovative and groundbreaking auction to prioritize bids for high-speed, low-latency services to deliver the best results for rural Americans, and the results show that this strategy worked.  This auction was the Commission’s single largest step ever taken toward delivering digital opportunity to every American and is another key success in our ongoing commitment to universal service.”

Following is a list of winning bidders, number of homes and businesses to be served, and total support for 10 years in Pennsylvania, by county:

CountyBidderLocationsSupport
AdamsCenturyLink, Inc.228$593,406
AdamsConnect Everyone LLC1,032$1,525,507
AdamsSpace Exploration Technologies Corp.515$687,126
 Adams, PA Total1,775$2,806,038
AlleghenyArmstrong Telephone Company – Northern Division36$20,316
AlleghenySpace Exploration Technologies Corp.747$486,460
AlleghenyWindstream Services LLC, Debtor-In-Possession114$180,474
 Allegheny, PA Total897$687,250
ArmstrongSpace Exploration Technologies Corp.57$58,185
ArmstrongWindstream Services LLC, Debtor-In-Possession1,356$4,805,328
 Armstrong, PA Total1,413$4,863,513
BeaverSpace Exploration Technologies Corp.575$593,551
BeaverWindstream Services LLC, Debtor-In-Possession259$716,028
 Beaver, PA Total834$1,309,579
BedfordCenturyLink, Inc.2,959$14,980,392
BedfordFrontier Communications Corporation, DIP395$1,025,615
BedfordSpace Exploration Technologies Corp.2,805$4,090,243
BedfordWindstream Services LLC, Debtor-In-Possession300$1,257,726
 Bedford, PA Total6,459$21,353,976
BerksSpace Exploration Technologies Corp.1,239$1,464,002
BerksWindstream Services LLC, Debtor-In-Possession529$765,486
 Berks, PA Total1,768$2,229,488
BlairCenturyLink, Inc.264$288,816
BlairSpace Exploration Technologies Corp.2,405$2,012,143
BlairWindstream Services LLC, Debtor-In-Possession592$1,494,756
 Blair, PA Total3,261$3,795,715
BradfordCo-op Connections Consortium4,499$17,219,669
BradfordFrontier Communications Corporation, DIP1,271$3,300,144
BradfordSpace Exploration Technologies Corp.467$783,868
BradfordWindstream Services LLC, Debtor-In-Possession312$1,558,501
 Bradford, PA Total6,549$22,862,181
BucksSpace Exploration Technologies Corp.701$323,324
 Bucks, PA Total701$323,324
ButlerArmstrong Telephone Company – Northern Division104$122,321
ButlerSpace Exploration Technologies Corp.1,859$2,876,831
ButlerWindstream Services LLC, Debtor-In-Possession7$26,022
 Butler, PA Total1,970$3,025,174
CambriaSpace Exploration Technologies Corp.2,240$2,387,864
CambriaWindstream Services LLC, Debtor-In-Possession1,317$2,851,321
 Cambria, PA Total3,557$5,239,185
CameronSpace Exploration Technologies Corp.16$48,241
CameronWindstream Services LLC, Debtor-In-Possession690$2,132,042
 Cameron, PA Total706$2,180,283
CarbonFrontier Communications Corporation, DIP300$778,948
CarbonSpace Exploration Technologies Corp.359$159,969
CarbonWindstream Services LLC, Debtor-In-Possession68$60,948
 Carbon, PA Total727$999,865
CentreCentre WISP Venture Company, LLC2,465$2,857,833
CentreCommnet Wireless, LLC671$829,807
CentreSpace Exploration Technologies Corp.952$802,773
CentreWindstream Services LLC, Debtor-In-Possession354$1,125,474
 Centre, PA Total4,442$5,615,888
ChesterArmstrong Telephone Company – Northern Division40$28,614
ChesterFrontier Communications Corporation, DIP256$664,702
ChesterSpace Exploration Technologies Corp.532$430,276
ChesterWindstream Services LLC, Debtor-In-Possession110$118,974
 Chester, PA Total938$1,242,566
ClarionSpace Exploration Technologies Corp.277$244,099
ClarionWindstream Services LLC, Debtor-In-Possession2,939$10,575,440
 Clarion, PA Total3,216$10,819,539
ClearfieldSpace Exploration Technologies Corp.1,723$1,517,882
ClearfieldWindstream Services LLC, Debtor-In-Possession2,300$7,850,169
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