For Immediate Release:	Contact: Tracy Munford
Date: 04/23/2025	609-940-1099

NJBIDE Projects Will ‘Connect the Unconnected’ in Seven New Jersey Counties

 

TRENTON — The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU) has approved a historic $40 million investment in internet connectivity, announcing the New Jersey Broadband Infrastructure Deployment Equity (NJBIDE) Pilot Program grant awardees. These grants support critical broadband expansion efforts across the state.

 

The approved investment will provide reliable, high-quality internet service to over 9,000 broadband serviceable (BSL) locations across the State.

 

“With these grants, we are making a long-lasting investment in broadband infrastructure in New Jersey that will expand economic opportunity and provide high-quality internet access to thousands of New Jerseyans,” said Governor Phil Murphy. “In our digitally interconnected world, we will ensure that our residents have the high-speed internet access they need.”

 

The NJBIDE grant awards will support broadband infrastructure projects in Atlantic, Burlington, Cumberland, Essex, Salem, Sussex, and Warren counties. The awardees include the City of Vineland, County of Salem, Borough of Penns Grove, Brightspeed (Connect Holding II LLC), and Verizon New Jersey Inc. Applicants were notified of their status via email following Wednesday’s board meeting. The list of awards is available on the Office of Broadband Connectivity (OBC) webpage. Recipients were chosen for their commitment to bridging the digital divide and delivering high-speed internet access to unserved and underserved communities.

 

“This historic investment to ‘connect the unconnected’ answers the call we have heard throughout the State,” said NJBPU President Christine Guhl-Sadovy. “Access to broadband is a necessity in the modern world and the funding awarded through the NJBIDE program will help connect areas not currently served by a high-quality internet connection, spurring opportunity, economic growth, and putting social mobility within reach for communities and families throughout the Garden State.”

 

Funded through the CPF, the NJBIDE Pilot Program is a competitive grant initiative designed to bring high-speed internet access to areas with limited or no connectivity. The NJBIDE initiative addresses the urgent need for expanded broadband infrastructure – enabling work, education, health monitoring, and other critical services that became even more essential during the pandemic.

 

These NJBIDE grant awards mark a historic milestone as the first infrastructure grant awarded by the Office of Broadband Connectivity (OBC), reinforcing the Murphy Administration’s dedication to expanding digital access and closing connectivity gaps.

 

The U.S. Department of the Treasury has approved New Jersey’s plan to invest over $50 million from the CPF to expand broadband infrastructure across the State.

 

The NJBIDE pilot program prioritizes broadband infrastructure in areas that have significant broadband gaps, including rural and economically disadvantaged areas and prioritizes projects that demonstrate investments in fiber-optic infrastructure solutions with internet speeds of 100/100 Mbps upon completion and provide at least one low-cost option to serve communities.

 

Media Contact: Tracy Munford (609) 940-1099; Tracy.Munford@bpu.nj.gov 

 

About the New Jersey Office of Broadband Connectivity (OBC) 

The OBC works to ensure that New Jersey residents, businesses and communities have equitable access to affordable high-speed internet service. To learn more about the OBC, visit www.nj.gov/connect. 

  

About the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU)  

NJBPU is a state agency and regulatory authority mandated to ensure safe, adequate and proper utility services at reasonable rates for New Jersey customers. Critical services regulated by NJBPU include natural gas, electricity, water, wastewater, telecommunications and cable television. The Board has general oversight and responsibility for monitoring utility service, responding to consumer complaints, and investigating utility accidents. To find out more about NJBPU, visit our website at www.nj.gov/bpu.