Healey-Driscoll Administration Awards $22.2 Million in Ongoing Effort to Modernize Affordable Housing Internet

The Healey-Driscoll administration and the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative’s (MassTech) Massachusetts Broadband Institute (MBI) announced $22,260,701 in grants to upgrade internet access for 15,793 affordable housing units across 54 communities in Massachusetts. MBI provided the awards through the Residential Retrofit Program, an initiative that works with housing operators and internet service providers (ISPs) to upgrade broadband infrastructure in public and affordable housing properties. The projects will install modern fiber-optic cables in public and affordable housing properties that will increase residents’ access to high-quality, reliable and affordable broadband service. 

• Aervivo Inc. ($20,113,689 for 15,063 housing units) Aervivo Inc.’s Connectivity Platform enables partners to deploy fiber-grade hybrid networks to small and large communities across the state. In its proposal for the Residential Retrofit Program, Aervivo Inc. offered income-eligible broadband plans of at least 100Mbps/100Mbps and up to 1000Mbps/1000Mbps within each property it serves. Aervivo will also offer multiple community benefits including devices for residents, digital literacy classes, free Wi-Fi in public areas and open access network options.
• Comcast Cable Communications ($1,100,200 for 485 housing units) Comcast operates one of the largest fiber networks in the nation. In addition to an all-fiber backbone, Comcast has consistently added and expanded fiber throughout the portion of its network that directly serves customers. Comcast offered income-eligible broadband plans of at least 100Mbps/100Mbps for each property it serves. Comcast will also provide digital literacy or navigation and Wi-Fi in public spaces as community benefits.
• RingSquared APC LLC DBA AccessPlus ($1,046,812 for 245 housing units) RingSquared APC LLC (DBA AccessPlus) will provide its project group with high-speed broadband service delivered over an end-to-end fiber network. In its proposal, RingSquared offered income-eligible broadband plans of at least 500Mbps/500Mbps within each property it serves.