Golden State Connect Authority becomes first entity to sign master service agreement with California Department of Technology for Statewide Middle-Mile Network
Golden State Connect Authority has officially signed a Master Service Agreement (with the California Department of Technology, becoming the first entity to do so. The agreement, signed in July, authorizes GSCA to begin submitting orders to utilize California’s statewide Middle-Mile Broadband Initiative network and marks a major milestone in the advancement of the Golden State Fiber network.
The State of California is planning, developing and operating an open-access statewide middle-mile broadband network overseen by CDT. Comprised of high-capacity fiber infrastructure, the middle-mile network serves as the backbone that transports internet traffic across the state. Portions of the network are currently in various stages of pre-construction, installation, and ready-to-connect status.
The statewide middle-mile network is designed to be utilized by multiple internet service providers and other eligible entities to expand broadband access throughout California. As the first entity to execute an MSA with CDT, GSCA is now positioned to begin connecting its last-mile Golden State Fiber network to the state’s middle-mile infrastructure.
While the state’s middle-mile network carries internet traffic across California, Golden State Fiber will provide the critical last-mile connections that deliver high-speed broadband directly to homes, businesses, farms, schools, healthcare facilities and community institutions in rural communities. Together, the middle-mile and last-mile networks create a complete broadband pathway, bringing internet service from California’s statewide backbone to the end user’s doorstep.
“Signing this agreement represents a significant milestone for Golden State Fiber and the rural communities we serve,” said Chris Lopez, GSCA Chair and Monterey County supervisor. “California’s middle-mile network is a transformative investment that will support many last-mile providers across the state. We’re proud that GSCA is the first entity to complete this step, allowing us to move forward with connecting our Golden State Fiber network and bringing reliable, affordable high-speed internet directly to rural homes and businesses.”
“This partnership reflects an important step toward connecting rural California communities to the State’s middle-mile broadband network,” said Mark Monroe, Deputy Director, Middle-Mile Broadband Initiative, California Department of Technology. “By connecting Golden State Fiber’s last-mile infrastructure to the state’s open-access middle-mile network, we’re helping create the foundation for reliable, high-speed broadband and greater connectivity for residents, businesses, schools, and other community institutions across rural California.”
GSCA is a joint powers authority comprised of 40 rural California counties dedicated to increasing access to reliable, affordable high-speed internet throughout the state. Through Golden State Fiber, GSCA is developing a publicly owned, open-access last-mile network that GSCA will finance, construct, own, operate, and maintain.
The open-access model enables multiple private-sector internet service providers to compete on the same infrastructure, increasing customer choice while helping keep internet service affordable for rural communities.
The MSA signing builds on significant momentum for the organization. In April, GSCA broke ground on the Golden State Fiber network in Glenn County, launching construction on a major rural broadband project and the first of seven planned fiber deployments in Alpine, Amador, Glenn, Imperial, Mono, and Tehama counties, as well as the Town of Mammoth Lakes. Backed by $110.9 million in bond financing and $185.4 million from the California Public Utilities Commission’s Last Mile Federal Funding Account, the Golden State Fiber network will deliver open-access, high-speed fiber infrastructure to communities that have historically lacked reliable and affordable internet service.
With both network construction and middle-mile connectivity agreements advancing, GSCA is preparing for the next phase of deployment, breaking ground on its remaining projects and beginning to connect residents and businesses to affordable, high-speed broadband through the Golden State Fiber network in early 2027.
Funding for GSCA’s projects has been provided in part through a grant by the Last Mile Federal Funding Account, a program administered by the California Public Utilities Commission.
Click here for more information about GSCA and its broadband initiatives.
Click here to learn more about Golden State Fiber.
About Golden State Connect Authority
Golden State Connect Authority is a joint powers authority comprised of 40 rural California counties designed for the purpose of increasing access to reliable, affordable high-speed internet for the residents and businesses of those counties. GSCA will assist rural counties in identifying pathways for development of internet infrastructure within their communities, including the construction of municipal-owned and/or operated internet systems, among other options. Learn more at www.goldenstateconnect.org.
About Golden State Fiber
Golden State Fiber, a division of the Golden State Connect Authority, will deliver Open Access, high-speed fiber optic infrastructure to rural counties across California. These areas have historically faced some of the slowest internet speeds in the state. Once completed, the network will connect residents, businesses, farms, and institutions to a competitive marketplace of private-sector internet service providers. It will offer the fastest, most reliable fiber internet in the nation, with symmetrical speeds up to 10 Gbps, ultra-low latency, and no buffering. The future-proof infrastructure is built to serve generations to come. Learn more at www.goldenstatefiber.com.
