Missouri Broadband Expansion

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — Missouri officials say a major investment in broadband infrastructure is aimed at closing the digital divide between urban and rural communities across the state.

The Missouri Office of Broadband says it is moving forward with plans to expand high-speed internet access to hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses that are currently unserved or underserved, particularly in rural areas.

BJ Tanksley, Director of the Office of Broadband for the Missouri Department of Economic Development, said the need for reliable internet access becomes clear just a short distance outside population centers.

“Talking about the need for access, especially in rural areas and those without access,” Tanksley said. “You don’t have to travel far from a population center to see the gap when it comes to broadband.”

The effort is being driven in part by funding from the federal Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program, known as BEAD. The program is designed to improve broadband infrastructure nationwide, with Missouri receiving a significant share of the funding.

“Through the Infrastructure and Jobs Act, Missouri was allocated about $1.7 billion,” Tanksley said. “This last month, we were approved for roughly $800 million in broadband infrastructure funding.”

According to the Office of Broadband, the BEAD program is expected to invest in broadband service for more than 200,000 homes and businesses across Missouri that currently lack reliable high-speed internet access.

State officials say the expansion of broadband is critical to Missouri’s long-term economic growth and quality of life, especially in smaller communities.

“With a high-speed connection, you can connect to the best economic development and education, health care in the United States,” Tanksley said. “But without that, we really are growing a gap between those who have access and those who don’t.”

Data from the Missouri Department of Economic Development shows that many counties across the state continue to face significant challenges when it comes to broadband availability, particularly in rural and remote areas.

“There is a huge need,” Tanksley said. “We are going to be bridging that gap between the haves and have-nots when it comes to connectivity. It doesn’t promise that advancement happens, but without it, you are really holding those places back.”

Officials say expanding broadband access is not just about faster internet speeds, but about ensuring communities are not left behind when it comes to education, health care, workforce development, and economic opportunity.

The Office of Broadband says planning and implementation of the funded projects will continue as the state works to ensure that every Missourian has access to reliable, high-speed internet service.