JACKSON, Miss. – The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced Phase 1 recipients of the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund auction on Monday. Mississippi, along with many other states across the country, will receive a total of $9.2 billion to expand high-speed internet services.

Mississippi was awarded the second highest amount out of all of the other states at roughly $495 million just behind California.

The grant money was awarded via reverse auction in which providers competed to for the funds based on their ability to provide the service and costs of infrastructure expansion. These federal dollars are in addition
to the $75 million allocated by Mississippi’s Legislature in 2020.

Southern District Mississippi Public Service Commission Chairman Dane Maxwell will continue to meet with FCC Commissioners in the coming months to discuss additional funds for Mississippi in the Phase 2 auction.