Frequently Asked Questions

The middle-mile is the physical infrastructure required to enable internet connectivity for homes, businesses and community institutions. The middle-mile is made up of high-capacity fiber lines that carry large amounts of data at high speeds over long distances between local networks and global internet networks.

A last-mile connection is the final leg of a network that provides service to the home, business or community institution.

An open-access network gives service providers wholesale access to broadband infrastructure – meaning any network type can interconnect, regardless of technology used, on equal economic and service terms.

Internet connection must be strong and reliable enough to handle the typical requirements of modern life, like multiple family members on video meetings or paying bills electronically. Some regions of California are unserved and have no internet connection. Others are underserved and have inadequate internet connection with download speeds less than 25 Mbps and upload speeds less than 3 Mbps. The Middle-Mile Broadband Initiative prioritizes unserved and underserved communities.

The COVID-19 pandemic amplified the importance of internet connectivity to receive healthcare, go to work and attend school. Some Californians don’t have any internet connection options, while others do not have fast enough internet service to effectively manage the tasks of their daily lives. An open-access middle-mile network will give service providers the infrastructure to connect homes, businesses and community institutions.

There are three main goals of the open-access middle-mile network:

1. Provide affordable, open-access, middle-mile broadband infrastructure to enable last-mile networks throughout the state.
2. Leverage existing networks and construction projects to build networks, when possible.
3. Prioritize connectivity to unserved and underserved communities.

The initial middle-mile locations were identified to connect unserved communities – communities that do not have internet access. A range of programs and initiatives, including billions in last-mile funding being implemented by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), will ensure unserved households in these communities are connected to the middle-mile network.

We encourage all members of the public and communities to provide public comment. Members of the public can either submit comments via the CPUC public comment portal, via the MMAC’s public comment form, or comment on agenda items at quarterly Middle-Mile Advisory Committee meetings.

The middle-mile network is being funded by Senate Bill 156, which allocates $6 billion over three years for state middle-mile broadband infrastructure and last-mile projects that provide internet connections to homes, businesses and community institutions. The funding for this effort is divided into the following:

• $3.25 billion to acquire, build, maintain and operate a critical statewide open-access middle-mile network.
• $2 billion to complement the middle-mile investment to build last-mile infrastructure in coordination with federal and state universal service programs, such as those to connect schools, disabled users and low-income households.
• $750 million Loan Loss Reserve Fund to assist local governments, tribes, and non-profits in securing enhanced private financing to construct and operate new public fiber networks.

Per guidance issued by the U.S. Treasury, all projects must be completed by December 2026.