Another step toward bridging the digital divide in New Jersey, the State Board of Public Utilities this week launched a $40 million project to extend high-speed Internet service to remote and underserved parts of the state, especially in South Jersey, where Internet providers have been reluctant to invest in rural, low-population towns where the return on investment might be lower.

Ted Goldberg reports.

New grants for expanding Internet access have people in underserved areas feeling optimistic.

The sky's the limit when you think of what connectivity brings in today's world.

It's really going to allow us to envision a true smart city.

A $40 million grant from the state's Board of Public Utilities will help bring broadband Internet access to nearly 10,000 homes and businesses across these seven counties.

Tony Quigley is the municipal director of information systems for the city of Vineland, and he says Internet access is crucial.

The ability to acquire the information, whether it's through telemedicine or anything else, I mean, it's just become a vital part of life.

During the COVID time, it really came to light that a lot of people, you know, don't have the resources available to actually, you know, survive in a digital environment.

Among other things, Quigley helps people pay their utility bills in a city more well-known for its agriculture than its Internet access.

Meanwhile, one county over... We are hopeful that this will open all sorts of opportunities.

Salem County will receive almost $10 million.

Mickey Ostrom is the deputy director of the county's Board of Commissioners and says it's common to hear people quoted $30,000 to hook up their homes for cable and Internet.

It's been really hard to get penetration of Wi-Fi compatibility or Internet compatibility.

The population density does not justify, at least in their minds, the economic output to expand the services they have.

You have providers that are just saying, you know, the ROI is not worth it.

Well, here's that opportunity to sit here and say, well, we're going to help you.

We're going to meet you halfway.

Let's get this work done.

So now there's no longer that excuse.

Valerie Ballard runs the Office of Broadband Connectivity in the BPU and agrees that Internet access has pretty much become a necessity.

Knowing that we are working with communities that are in need in other arenas when it comes to having quality water and, you know, being able to afford electricity, knowing that we have another role in just helping them, we're pretty excited.

The BPU kicked off its grant at a church in Penns Grove Wednesday where speakers celebrated the news and poked fun at their current situation.

Most of you have experienced how bad our Wi-Fi is.

Case in point, you know, Joe sent me the run of the show and names and everything.

And guess what?

My phone's an SOS.

It matters for agricultural communities.

Farmers use the technology in order to compete.

It matters for our students.

The $40 million is split between Vineland, Salem, Penns Grove, Verizon and Brightspeed, who was awarded almost $10 million to create the infrastructure for broadband in Warren and Sussex counties.

We're excited about what we're going to be working in up there.

We're ready to get to work and partner with them and with the counties and municipalities and really bring our customers with some real high-speed Internet.

Brightspeed says the next three to six months will be spent on contracting and engineering.

These projects need to be done by the end of next year, so faster Internet could be coming to rural areas sooner than you think.

For NJ Spotlight News, I'm Ted Goldberg.

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