HELENA — Montana lawmakers refused this year to pick up where federal stimulus programs will leave off in funding improvements to the state’s Internet, phone and cable services.
Extending broadband to the 890,000 Montanans that lack standard speeds was a fleeting talking point in the 2015 legislative session. State officials say that could become evident when federal incentives to improve the infrastructure dry up this summer.
In its most recent report, the Federal Communications Commission ranked Montana as providing the least access to what the agency now considers standard broadband speeds.
State lawmakers in March shut down the only proposal to encourage private companies to build up the state’s telecommunications framework. It was never discussed during budget and infrastructure negotiations.
Funding from federal agencies to study and upgrade such technology will cease at the end of June.