I've worked with Governor Kay Ivey for quite some time, and when she says she wants to get something done, she means it.

When Governor Ivey asked me to serve as Director of the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA) in 2017, she made one thing clear: expanding access to high-speed internet to all Alabamians would be a top priority of her administration.

“As the state agency responsible for coordinating and executing broadband expansion projects using state and federal funds, ADECA has been truly honored to help Governor Ivey achieve his goal.

I am proud that, thanks to Governor Ivey's leadership, the support of the Alabama Legislature, and internet service providers committed to laying fiber, our state has made great progress toward that goal over the past few years.

Just a few years ago, our state was ranked in the top 40. According to Broadband Now's state rankings, the state currently ranks in the low 20th place when it comes to high-speed internet access.

This progress has been achieved at an incredibly fast pace, but it has not been easy. It has been the result of tireless effort, collaboration, investment and teamwork from countless leaders, groups and organisations – both public and private – who took the steps necessary to get to where we are today.

Let's discuss some of those steps.

Alabama has invested $82 million in state funds to support more than 100 projects in unserved areas since 2018. When complete, more than 72,000 previously unserved Alabama households, businesses and community agencies will have access to broadband service.

In 2021, Alabama released the Alabama Broadband Map and Alabama Connectivity Plan to guide the state’s efforts and recommend strategies to expand internet access, setting a national standard.

We held technical assistance meetings in all 67 counties in Alabama to answer questions from communities and inform them how to take advantage of the state’s programs.

And hundreds of millions of dollars in projects are being initiated across the state thanks to federal American Rescue Plan Act funds purposefully allocated by the Alabama Legislature for broadband expansion.

In 2022, we awarded $82.45 million in grant funding to the Alabama Fiber Network, bringing together internet service providers and other private companies across the state to launch an ambitious middle mile effort. We are dedicating nearly $180 million from the Capital Projects Fund to last mile projects. And we are dedicating more than $200 million to the Alabama Anchor Institute/Middle Mile Program to fund fiber connections to anchor institutes such as universities, rural hospitals and government facilities.

All of this, plus $1.4 billion in federal funding provided through the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment Program that will be available in 2025, represents a tremendous amount of resources dedicated to the critical needs of our state.

ADECA's mission is to ensure that every dollar of federal funding is used intentionally and effectively to achieve maximum results.

We are proud of the progress we have made, but as Governor Ivey has said many times, our state's broadband journey is a marathon, not a sprint, and we still have a lot of work to do to achieve the Governor's goal of connecting every Alabamian to the internet.

These federal funds we received have been critical to achieving her goals, but there are areas of the state that are not eligible for these federal funds and we need more flexibility to be effective in those areas.

That's why our state's broadband expansion program, the Alabama Broadband Accessibility Fund, is so important. This fund will help fill the gaps that federal programs can't cover. This is important because we need to make sure no Alabamian is left behind.

Through continued funding for this vital program, we can continue to go where it is needed to launch projects that will transform our communities and lead them into the digital age.

We must not slow down as we press toward the finish line. Let's strike while the iron is hot and achieve the Governor's ambitious goal of providing every Alabamian with access to high-speed internet.

Kenneth Boswell is director of the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs.