The State of Arizona has allocated $42 million to Wecom Fiber to connect around 10,500 Coconino County homes and businesses with high-speed broadband.
The project will bring broadband to rural areas in and around Flagstaff, Munds Park, Sedona, Parks, Bellemont, Forest Lakes and more.
“No Arizonan’s address should be a barrier to them accessing reliable, high-speed internet,” Patrice Horstman, Chair of the Coconino County Board of Supervisors, said. “Wecom is an established broadband provider in northern Arizona, and this vital investment will help connect rural homes and businesses across Coconino County.”
Wecom’s project in the county is part of a statewide effort to eliminate a digital divide that has hampered rural communities across Arizona. Governor Katie Hobbs recently announced the state’s largest-ever investment in rural broadband — $967 million — which comprises federal funds and private matching dollars.
The funding was awarded by the state’s Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) program after a rigorous public process. Wecom is Arizona’s biggest single recipient of BEAD funding.
The rural broadband rollout is expected to connect an estimated 160,000 Arizona households and 1,200 community institutions, such as schools libraries and other public facilities.
“This historic broadband investment will change lives for the better across Arizona by ensuring every corner of our state has access to reliable, high-speed internet,” Wecom CEO Paul Fleming said. “Wecom is honored to be the largest single awardee of BEAD dollars and sincerely grateful for the trust placed in us.”
