California Activates Nation’s Largest Middle-Mile Network, Connecting Tribal, Rural Areas

April 3, 2026 – California just activated the nation’s largest open-access middle-mile network, bringing it one step further in closing the digital divide.

On Thursday, the California Department of Technology (CDT) announced that after five years of planning, building, and promising access, the state’s $3.2 billion Middle-Mile Broadband Initiative (MMBI) is now operational. The high-speed network connected the last mile to the state’s first customer, the Bishop Paiute Tribe, a Native American community in Inyo County.

This connection represents a key resource for places across the country that have been historically underserved or unserved, including rural and tribal areas. California Gov. Gavin Newsom said the MMBI plans to construct 8,000 miles of fiber across the state, and he hopes to get more than 5,300 miles completely built out by the end of 2026.

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