The first $50 million in rural broadband funding is being released by the state of Illinois. The money comes on a matching basis to expand access to high-speed internet to places where there might not be any access. Democrat Governor JB Pritzker says in today’s age bringing high-speed data to communities is similar to bringing electricity to rural residents 100 years ago.

In all $420 million dollars will be spent to increase coverage of high-speed internet in Illinois. Pritzker says plenty of attention will be given to rural areas but notes that in parts of the west and south sides of Chicago there’s no access to high-speed internet.