Louisiana becomes first state approved for $1.36 billion in federal broadband funding

Gov. Jeff Landry announced today that Louisiana is the first state in the country to receive federal approval of its final proposal to deploy $1.355 billion in Broadband, Equity, Access, and Deployment funding. The approval marks a major milestone for Louisiana’s GUMBO 2.0 program, moving the state closer to connecting every parish with reliable, high-speed internet. The plan also supports long-term growth in the workforce, education, healthcare, and innovation. Louisiana’s approved proposal outlines a strategy to:

• Connect approximately 128,000 unserved and underserved locations across the state
• Partner with 14 internet service providers, with nearly 70% of awards going to Louisiana-based companies
• Support the creation of 8,000 to 10,000 new jobs and generate $2 billion to $3 billion in revenue for Louisiana businesses