The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) has approved $96 million in Last Mile broadband grants through the state’s Federal Funding Account. The decision, made on December 18, 2025, aims to build new broadband infrastructure in areas that currently lack reliable high-speed internet access. These include rural mountain towns, Tribal lands, and coastal communities.
The initiative is part of California’s Broadband For All program, which seeks to provide affordable and fast internet to households, schools, and small businesses that have not had adequate service. According to the CPUC, the projects funded by these grants will serve nearly 15,000 Californians and connect more than 4,500 previously unserved locations across Calaveras, Orange, and Trinity Counties. There are also multi-county partnerships in Humboldt and Los Angeles Counties.
Grantees involved in building these networks include AT&T California for Orange County; AVX Networks for Orange & Los Angeles Counties; Comcast Cable Communications for Calaveras County; and Hoopa Valley Public Utilities District for Trinity & Humboldt Counties.
Reliable broadband is considered essential for several aspects of daily life such as education—enabling students to learn from home or access online resources—healthcare through telehealth appointments and medical information access; public safety via dependable emergency communications; and economic opportunity by supporting small business growth and job access.
These new grants add to over $1 billion already invested by the state to improve connectivity for more than two million Californians. The state plans to continue expanding funding efforts in future years.
The Last Mile Federal Funding Account was established under Senate Bill 156 with the goal of constructing broadband networks where reliable high-speed internet does not yet exist. This program supports families, workers, and communities so they can fully participate in today’s digital world.
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