This week Governor Kay Ivey announced that over $400 million dollars of federal funding will be dedicated to the expansion of high-speed internet throughout the State of Alabama.

The Governor stated "Providing broadband connectivity to every Alabamian, whether it be in our largest metros or most rural areas, has been a top priority of the Ivey Administration since day one.” She then announced the name of the new effort “As we launch Be Linked Alabama today, we are furthering our commitment to fully connecting our state. Offering the ability to connect to high-speed internet in all 67 counties is a journey, not a short trip, but Alabama is certainly well positioned to finish this race in the near future."

While much of south Baldwin County has fiber connections, many communities like Elberta, Bon Secour and Magnolia Springs are still waiting on "fiber to the home" connections.

You can view a new statewide fiber map at the Be Linked Alabama website. The legend on the website allows you to see the average connection speed for each area of Baldwin County and the State of Alabama.

The grants for the project will be handled by Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs. ADECA programs help address critical infrastructure needs like water, sewer, and broadband; provide law enforcement equipment and support for victims of crime; build new trails and recreational features; and assist with energy efficiency.

ADECA Director Kenneth Boswell added “Our state has already made tremendous progress on our journey to expand high-speed internet availability by providers, but we still have a long way to go. Be Linked Alabama represents the progress that we have made, and the continued progress still to come.”