NY Governor Hochul Announces $15.5 Million in Mobile Service and Broadband Infrastructure Awards, Opens New RFAS for Innovative Broadband Solutions and Technical Assistance

New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced $5.2 million in new awards for four Connectivity Innovations to expand mobile service in Nassau, Otsego, Schenectady, and Warren counties. The Governor also announced over $10 million in awards under the ConnectALL Municipal Infrastructure Program and Affordable Housing Connectivity Program. ConnectALL is also launching three new funding opportunities. Together with the state’s first-ever statewide mobile service coverage tests—now underway to map coverage gaps along thousands of miles of roads and corridors—these actions advance New York’s commitment to ensuring universal, reliable mobile and broadband access. ConnectALL is awarding $5.2 million to four projects under its Connectivity Innovation Program that will expand mobile service, close rural and urban coverage gaps, and create replicable models for future deployments:

• Butternuts Neutral Host Mobile Tower Pilot Project (Otsego County) – $843,357: Deploys neutral-host equipment on a county-owned tower to extend multi-operator service in a rural area with little to no coverage.
• Lake George and Glens Falls Open Access Mobile Expansion (Warren County) – $1,996,408: Installs decentralized mobile broadband access via 139 community-owned nodes to improve connectivity during peak tourism seasons.
• City of Schenectady Mobile Service Project (Schenectady County) – $1,627,430: Establishes city-wide open access Wi-Fi to reduce network strain, boost digital inclusion, and support over 4,000 low- and moderate-income residents.
• Mill Neck Manor School for the Deaf Connectivity Project (Nassau County) – $731,192: Builds a multi-technology distributed antenna system to enhance accessibility and expand mobile coverage for students on campus.