The Be Linked Alabama initiative is the state’s united effort to expand access to affordable, reliable high-speed internet to all Alabamians. Coordinated by the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA), Be Linked Alabama led to the development of the Alabama Statewide Digital Opportunity Plan. To implement the activities included in ADECA's plan, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) awarded ADECA over $13 million in Digital Equity Capacity Grant Program funding to support Be Linked Alabama and help bring digital opportunity to all residents of the state.

Key activities of the ADECA Digital Opportunity Plan highlighted by NTIA include:

• Support digital workforce development
• Expand opportunities to learn online safety and privacy
• Expand access to computing devices
• Expand online accessibility of government services

Here is a look at the full timeline of ADECA's Digital Opportunity Plan and programs.

Implementation Timeline

ADECA's full timeline is organized by strategy, key activities under that strategy, and timeline starting in 2023 and continuing through 20230.

Increase access to residential broadband infrastructure

Key Activities:

• Execute the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program: Extend last-mile broadband infrastructure throughout the state (Q1 2023-Q4 2030)
• Execute Alabama Capital Projects Fund Program: Extend last-mile broadband infrastructure throughout the state (Q1 2023-Q4 2026)
• Execute Alabama Anchor Institution/Middle-Mile Program: Extend middle-mile broadband infrastructure to Anchor Institutions with an identified need for service, while facilitating last-mile deployment in unserved areas (Q1 2023-Q4 2026)
• Execute Alabama Statewide Middle-Mile Network Grant Program: Extend middle-mile broadband infrastructure to serve as a unified statewide resource for ISPs to plan and deploy last-mile connectivity (Q1 2023-Q1 2026)
• Execute Alabama Broadband Accessibility Fund: Extend last-mile broadband infrastructure throughout the state (Ongoing)

Enable gigabit services at Anchor Institutions

Key Activities:

• Execute Alabama Anchor Institution/Middle-Mile Program: Extend middle-mile broadband infrastructure to Anchor Institutions with an identified need for service, while facilitating last-mile deployment in unserved areas (Q1 2023-Q4 2026)

Increase Affordable Connectivity Program enrollment among eligible households

While ADECA's plan details efforts to invest funds in supporting the adoption of the Federal Communications Commission's Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), an active program at the time of publication, the ACP expired in 2024.

Key Activities:

• Develop and distribute educational materials: Provide content and support for educational campaigns among organizations that focus on ACP as well as for localities, Anchor Institutions, and nonprofits that have not previously worked to extend ACP enrollment (Ongoing)

Increase low-cost service offerings

Key Activities:

• Require grantee low-cost offerings: Build requirements and enhanced scoring for affordable service offerings into all broadband infrastructure grant programs (Q1 2023-Q4 2025)
• Encourage ISP low-cost offerings: Work with ISPs throughout the state to encourage adoption and expansion of low-cost offerings for lower-income households (Ongoing)

Expand access to computing devices with tech support

Key Activities:

• Provide device and technical support program information: Provide guidance regarding best practices, expertise, and partnership opportunities to localities and nonprofits to develop and expand programs that provide free devices to lower-income households and associated technical support for those devices (Q1 2024- Q4 2030)
• Support ACP enrollment: Work with partners to support eligible households to purchase computing devices under the ACP (Ongoing)

Develop data and informational resources to enable application of a digital opportunity lens to infrastructure and program decisions

Key Activities:

• Provide map information: Add digital opportunity data to the Alabama Broadband Map (Q1 2024-Q4 2030)
• Provide asset information: Update the Alabama Statewide Digital Opportunity Plan Asset Inventory periodically so that communities have access to resources for identifying partners and best practices (Q1 2024-Q4 2030)
• Develop and distribute education and informational resources: Work with collaborators to design and share data and informational resources promoting internet safety, ACP awareness, and device donation and refurbishment, and develop online resources on digital opportunity best practices for reference by partners statewide (Q1 2024-Q4 2030)

Enable digital skills development through training courses

Key Activities:

• Enable partnerships: Connect localities with expert partners that have established training courses, curricula, and trained staff, working with a full range of partners that are engaged in digital opportunity efforts to enable partners to benefit from each other’s expertise and lessons learned (Q1 2023-Q4 2030)
• Provide informational resources and guidance: Distribute relevant materials to share expertise and guidance so that communities have access to resources for identifying partners and best practices (Q1 2023-Q4 2030)
• Support digital workforce development: Collaborate with workforce partners (e.g., Alabama Community College System) regarding curriculum, course training, and industry best practices for digital workforce development (Q1 2025-Q4 2030)

Expand opportunity to learn online safety and privacy

Key Activities:

• Enable partnerships: Connect localities with expert partners that have established training courses, curricula, and trained staff, working with a full range of partners that are engaged in digital opportunity efforts to enable partners to benefit from each other’s expertise and lessons learned (Q1 2023-Q4 2030)
• Provide informational resources and guidance: Distribute relevant materials to share expertise and guidance so that communities have access to resources for identifying partners and best practices (Q1 2023-Q4 2030)

Expand accessibility of information

Key Activities:

• Develop and distribute accessibility guidance: Provide guidance to state and local agencies regarding best practices for website design and maintenance that align with accessibility standards and that enable cost-effective use of critical support tools (Q1 2023-Q4 2030)

Build collaboration among state, local, and nonprofit entities

Key Activities:

• Convene partners: Build structures to enable partners to work together across the state and across different demographics to enable shared lessons and resources to support those who face the greatest barriers to digital opportunity, as well as to help organizations to leverage others’ capabilities and help partners serving particular regions or specific covered populations to share best practices and digital opportunity expertise (Q1 2024-Q4 2030)
• Enable funders to connect with program experts: Convene a range of partners to enable organizations that run digital opportunity programs to request resources from various organizations, including private sector partners, ISPs, and philanthropy (Q1 2024-Q4 2030)

Support and develop local capacity

Key Activities:

• Plan for local and/or regional Digital Opportunity Fellows: Plan for local and/or regional Digital Opportunity Fellows, hosted by local nonprofits, localities, or colleges, to enable development of local plans and initiatives (Q1 2024-Q4 2029)
• Convene funders: Use ADECA’s convening capabilities to plan annual meetings or webinars to connect local communities and organizations with philanthropy and other potential digital opportunity funding sources (Q1 2024-Q4 2030)
• Facilitate access to grant writing resources: Facilitate access to grant writing resources and technical assistance to localities, nonprofits, and Anchor Institutions that seek to compete for NTIA’s Digital Equity Competitive Grant Program funds (Q1 2024-Q4 2030) 

Sustain and grow the state’s efforts in digital opportunity

Key Activities:

• Infuse broadband and digital opportunity considerations into related areas: Develop materials to enable understanding of how to use digital opportunity as a lens when making program decisions and prioritizing investments (Q1 2024-Q4 2030)
• Convene nonprofit and philanthropy partners: Use ADECA’s convening ability and outreach capabilities to encourage collaboration and communications among organizations that operate digital opportunity programs and philanthropic funders (Q1 2024-Q4 2030)
• Collect, analyze, and publish relevant data to demonstrate changes in metrics and outcomes as part of updates to the Alabama Statewide Digital Opportunity Plan: Publish relevant data analytics related to barriers and obstacles to covered populations and review, evaluate, and update Plan goals in alignment with state priorities, measurable objectives, KPIs, and implementation activities as needed to guide nonprofits, ISPs, and philanthropy regarding potential impactful investments (Q1 2024-Q4 2030)

A Connected, Interconnected Future

ADECA's digital opportunity plan emphasizes broadband as a vehicle for change. Meaningful access to the internet is an essential ingredient for thriving in the economy of our era and of the future. In a connected, interconnected future, ADECA envisions that all Alabamians—including those who are not currently connected or who face other barriers to digital opportunity—will have the opportunity to benefit from broadband, for purposes of economic opportunity, education, healthcare, and all the other ways the internet offers digital opportunity.

Additional Coverage on Alabama's Broadband Priorities

• Envisioning a Connected, Interconnected Alabama

• Connect Alabama Gets Help From Capital Projects Fund

See the latest Alabama broadband news

More in this Series

• When Will Nevada Implement Its Digital Equity Plan?
• Michigan Is on the Road to Closing the Digital Divide by 2030
• California Takes Steps Towards Digital Equity
• Digital Equity Funding Boosts Innovative Connectivity in Indiana
• Connecting Georgians with Digital Equity Capacity Funds
• Digital Equity Capacity in New Mexico
• Every Connecticuter Connected With Capacity Funds
• Securing Minnesota's Future with Digital Equity Capacity Funds
• ConnectingALL with Digital Equity Capacity Grant in New York

The Benton Institute for Broadband & Society is a non-profit organization dedicated to ensuring that all people in the U.S. have access to competitive, High-Performance Broadband regardless of where they live or who they are. We believe communication policy - rooted in the values of access, equity, and diversity - has the power to deliver new opportunities and strengthen communities.

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