Governor Lombardo announces $250 million to create Nevada Middle Mile Network
Submitted by Jeff Munson on Tue, 05/21/2024 - 2:10pm
CARSON CITY — Gov. Joe Lombardo and the Nevada Governor’s Office of Science, Innovation and Technology announced Tuesday the creation of the Nevada Middle Mile Network.
"I’m pleased to announce the allocation of $250 million towards Middle Mile Infrastructure,” said Gov. Lombardo. “This significant investment will enhance internet connectivity in communities across Nevada that have struggled with inadequate internet access. By addressing these critical gaps, we are ensuring that all Nevadans have the opportunity to benefit from reliable and fast internet service.”
“We are working to provide every Nevadan with access to high-speed internet that is affordable, reliable, and scalable,” said Brian Mitchell, Director of OSIT. “Nevada requires significant investments in middle-mile infrastructure to support future last-mile residential investments. This project is a big step towards meeting our goals.”
The Nevada Middle Mile Network is a 2,500-mile open access, fiber optic network that will reach many unserved communities in Nevada. The dollars announced Tuesday will fund one-time construction costs of the network. Part of the High Speed Nevada Initiative, construction of the middle mile network will enable OSIT to bring better connectivity to hundreds of unserved K-12 schools, libraries, State and local government facilities, and community anchor institutions in the coming years.
The Nevada Middle Mile Network will also significantly expand network capacity between urban areas of Nevada and throughout rural regions across the state, greatly enhancing the capacity of last-mile networks to deliver affordable, high-speed Internet access to over 40,000 locations that are unserved or underserved today.
OSIT will build ubiquitous, open access, middle mile infrastructure that will result in robust, redundant pathways to major internet exchange points, a range of lit middle mile services offered at affordable pricing comparable to that available in metropolitan areas, and long-term dark fiber IRUs available to competing companies. OSIT estimates that the project will result in improved Internet access for more than 40,000 residential locations. A map depicting the middle mile network routes and rate cards for each route can be found here.
The Nevada Middle Mile Fiber Network project is a part of the larger High Speed Nevada Initiative with the goal of universal access to high speed internet that is affordable, reliable, and scalable. Over the next four years, over $900 million will be dedicated to broadband infrastructure and digital equity and adoption initiatives. For more information, please visit: https://osit.nv.gov/Broadband/Broadband/ or email highspeednv@gov.nv.gov.
