Broadband in Alabama's Black Belt in 2025

Résumé

This issue brief, "Broadband in Alabama's Black Belt in 2025," examines Alabama's strategic pursuit of universal high-speed internet access, analyzing the total public investment since 2018, the resulting impact, and the access gaps remaining today. The findings confirm that through strong executive leadership and bipartisan consensus, Alabama has transitioned into a national policy model. Since 2018, nearly $2.5 billion in federal and state funds have been strategically allocated, culminating in the ahead-of-schedule completion of the crucial Alabama Fiber Network (AFN) middle-mile backbone across all 67 counties. This foundational work has driven tangible connectivity improvements in historically disconnected areas, such as Choctaw and Perry counties, validating the state's strategic use of public-private partnerships.

However, the brief highlights that a persistent and critical digital divide remains. The Federal Communications Commission's 2024 update of the high-speed benchmark to 100/20 Mbps reveals the Black Belt's average high-speed coverage (76%) lags significantly behind the statewide (87%) and national (94%) averages. Crucially, 10 out of the state's 14 most critical unserved and underserved counties are concentrated in the Black Belt. The brief concludes by urging a critical shift in policy focus beyond infrastructure to ensure digital equity. This requires rigorous oversight of BEAD deployment projects and intentional investment in digital literacy and affordability programs—such as the Alabama Digital Education Network (ADEN)—to ensure the historic investment successfully translates into functional access for healthcare (telehealth), education, and economic development for every Alabamian.