Enhancing Connectivity in Northern Pennsylvania proposes to increase broadband Internet connection speeds for community anchor institutions and underserved areas isolated by difficult, mountainous terrain across the northern half of the state. The project will leverage Pennsylvania’s existing microwave public safety communications network by adding a parallel 150 Mbps Ethernet backbone stretching 649 miles across the state, as well as 612 miles of fixed wireless links. The Commonwealth, working with last mile providers, expects to connect at least 530 anchor institutions to this shared backbone and the public Internet. The project will enhance the interoperability of public safety communications across the region, improve health and safety services, and allow emergency medical service providers to connect to trauma and medical specialists quickly and reliably.