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Illinois State Broadband Office

Illinois State Broadband Office Overview

Illinois Broadband Grant Award Status

BEAD :$1 B

Illinois 5 Year Plan
Initial Proposal v1
Challenge Window
4
Initial Proposal v2
5
Application Window
6
Awards Announced

Treasury Capital Projects Fund: $253.7 M

Treasury Approved
2
Application Window
3
Awards Announced

Broadband Office Name:
Illinois Office of Broadband

Parent Department:
Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity

About Illinois Office of Broadband

The Connect Illinois program contains both short-term and long-term goals. In the short term, the plan calls for basic broadband access for homes, businesses, and community anchor institutions throughout the state at service levels of at least 25 Mbps x 3Mbps by 2024.

The program's long-term goal is access to at least one high-speed broadband provider of of 100 Mbps x 20 Mbps by 2028.

The Illinois Office of Broadband has a very extensive and thorough presence on YouTube with many Webinars explaining funding overviews, "broadband demand 101" types of explainers and coaching for broadband application development.

The state has been a leader in broadband development. It's been lucky to have had a champion in the form of Governor JB Prtizker. It also has a very dynamic and passionate broadband leader in the form of Matt Schmit, chair of the Illinois Broadband Advisory Council.

In fact, the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society honored Pritzker as its “Broadband Champion” in December 2021 for his mission of ensuring universal broadband access and his leadership in establishing the Connect Illinois program in 2019.

The program was among the first to establish a $400 million matching grant fund. It's administered by the Illinois Office of Broadband, which is housed within the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.

More info

Other Contacts

  • Tim Laffey, Grants Manager (217) 782-5968
  • Katie Stonewater, Senior Policy Advisor
  • Lori Sorenson, Chief Technology Officer Lori.sorenson@illinois.gov (217) 557-6534

Illinois Broadband Investment Maps

Illinois broadband investment map ready strength rank

Ready Strength Rank

Illinois broadband investment map yield on cost

Yield on Cost Maps

Illinois broadband investment map yield on cost

Pricing & Competition

Illinois broadband investment map business establishments

Business Establishments in Underserved Areas

Illinois broadband investment map small business establishments

Small Business Establishments

Illinois broadband investment map REC coverage

Rural Electric Cooperative (REC) Coverage Map

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