The Pennsylvania Broadband Development Authority is seeking public feedback on a draft five-year plan aimed at expanding internet across the Commonwealth.

The plan is tied to $1.16 billion in federal funding coming to the Commonwealth through the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) plan.

The plan and comment form can be found at https://survey123.arcgis.com/share/e072cdb43583476f8ef098417c485841

It will be open through August 8.

“The Broadband Development Authority is looking for feedback on the draft plan that will be used to expand access to affordable, high-speed internet across the Commonwealth,” Authority Executive Director Brandon Carson said. “Pennsylvania’s broadband initiative is called “Internet for All” for good reason, and input from our residents, businesses, and organizations is crucial to addressing connectivity barriers and needs.”

The plan will “set the vision for the implementation of these funds,” according to the Authority. The funding is expected to come to Pennsylvania next year. The Authority will then “begin awarding subgrants to approved, eligible applicants.”

The plan itself is a high-level, comprehensive view of the situation in the Commonwealth and also outlines in general terms how the state will use the funding.

According to the draft plan, at least 2.6 million Pennsylvania residents in 1.3 million – or 26 percent – of households are currently considered “digitally excluded.”