FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CITY OF BROWNSVILLE COMMISSION APPROVES PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP FOR DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF FIBER NETWORK

Brownsville is one step closer to closing the digital divide.

BROWNSVILLE, Texas (April 1, 2022) – On Wednesday March 30, the Brownsville City Commission unanimously approved action to enter public-private partnership negotiations for the design and construction of a citywide fiber network. This network includes a 93-mile middle mile backbone with design to last mile fiber and will connect 32 anchor institutions including city facilities, Police, Fire, EMS, and public parks.

“Making broadband accessible and affordable for our citizens has been a priority of mine since the day I was elected. Brownsville was considered one of the least connected communities in the United States in 2018 and 2019, and after more than two years of planning and work, we are about to change that. The middle and last mile infrastructure will enhance our community’s quality of life and create new opportunities for economic development. I look forward to seeing this project propel Brownsville into the future,” said Mayor Trey Mendez.

The city will be utilizing $19.5 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding for the approved fiber network, allowing for public private partnerships to deploy last mile services. The middle mile infrastructure will create a minimum broadband capacity of 100 megabits city-wide and is projected to be completed in 24 months.

In March, the City of Brownsville was named the winner in International Data Corporation’s (IDC) Government Insights’ Fifth Annual Smart Cities North America Awards for Digital Equity and Accessibility for its comprehensive planning efforts to increase broadband accessibility and speed. In December of 2020, Mayor Mendez was awarded the “Change Maker” award by New Century Cities for his work to address the digital divide in Brownsville.

For more information or to schedule media interviews, please contact the Communications and Marketing Department at [email protected] or (956)547-6505.