New Funding Awarded for Broadband Expansion in Tennessee, Tri-Counties

NASHVILLE – Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee and Department of Economic and Community Development (TNECD) Commissioner Stuart C. McWhorter announced today the state will award $101.6 million in funding as part of the second round of broadband and digital opportunity grants.
These investments will provide last-mile broadband access and digital opportunity programs to more than 97,000 Tennesseans across 75 counties. With this latest grant round, TNECD’s total commitment to expanding the state’s broadband infrastructure rises to $683 million, with an additional $132.6 million invested in digital opportunity initiatives, connecting more than 700,000 Tennesseans across 280,000 residential and business locations.
“High-speed internet access is essential to all Tennesseans, and that’s why we continue making strategic investments in our state’s broadband infrastructure and digital opportunity programs to create a pathway to education and skills training,” said Gov. Lee. “I thank the Financial Stimulus Accountability Group for their continued efforts to manage these dollars effectively and expand opportunity.”
The department’s efforts are part of a broader strategy to ensure that all residents have access to high-speed internet by 2028, and have opportunities to develop digital skills, access high-quality tech jobs, connect to broadband enabled devices and access online learning and telehealth resources.
“We continue to make significant strides in expanding access to high-speed internet statewide, investing more than $816 million in broadband infrastructure and broadband adoption since Gov. Lee took office in 2019,” said Commissioner McWhorter. “High-quality job training starts with access to high-speed internet, and this latest investment will help us further prepare Tennesseans for the jobs of the future.”
TNECD’s $34.5 million investment in broadband infrastructure will expand high-speed internet access across 5,241 locations in six counties.
Additionally, the department’s $67.1 million investment in digital opportunity grants will promote digital literacy and equip more than 3 million Tennesseans with the skills needed for high-paying virtual jobs across 66 counties.
Across all four programs, grantees are contributing approximately $25.1 million in matching funds, with project completion slated for December 31, 2026.
Below is a list of tri-county area recipients for the latest round of funding:
Spectrum Southeast
$12,466,143.31 – Serving parts of Carroll, Meigs, Moore, and Roane Counties
Digital Skills, Education, and Workforce Development
Persevere, Inc.
$990,640.00 – Serving parts of Davidson, Hamilton, Shelby, Claiborne, Carroll, and Dickson Counties
Weakley County
$1,716,373.74 – Serving parts of Weakley, Carroll, and Henry Counties