The California Public Utilities Commission announced it has approved more than $74 million to expand broadband infrastructure in underserved rural communities across seven counties through the California Advanced Services Fund.
The largest award, up to $33.2 million, went to Surfnet Communications for two fiber-optic projects serving Santa Barbara and California’s Central Coast. The projects will connect nearly 1,300 previously unserved homes and businesses, including 366 locations in the Santa Ynez and Los Olivos area with fiber-to-the-home service offering speeds of up to 1 Gbps…