The Nebraska Public Service Commission will conduct a reverse auction to fund $13 million of broadband expansion in certain areas of the state.
Broadband companies can apply to take part in the auction through July 15, with the reverse auction set to take place Aug. 8.
In the reverse auction, each census block will receive a starting price, and through successive rounds, companies will lower their bid until a winner is determined.
Winners will be required to demonstrate they can provide broadband speeds of 100 Mbps download and upload to a certain number of areas within the census block.
The funds to pay for expanding high-speed internet access come from redistribution of the Nebraska Universal Service Fund.
The are mainly in south-central and northeast Nebraska.
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"We see this as another tool along with other NUSF programs and the Nebraska Broadband Bridge Grant Program to get broadband into our rural areas," said Commission Chairman Dan Watermeier.
The Public Service Commission approved the process for the reverse auction in March.
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