The city of Surprise and Surprise-based fiber internet provider Wyyerd have been awarded $1.65 million from the Arizona Commerce Authority to advance broadband capacity in two areas of the community – Surprise City Center and Surprise Heritage District.

Wyyerd plans to install approximately 40 miles of fiber in these two areas of the community "where there is a great need for additional broadband capacity," city officials stated in a release.

"In Surprise City Center, this will help to capture future economic opportunities for the emerging downtown education, retail and employment campus. The campus is expected add a couple thousand onsite residents by 2030 and is currently welcoming more than 200,000 annual visitors."

City Center is a 1-square-mile area generally located east of Bullard Avenue and west of Litchfield Road, south of Bell Road and north of Greenway Road.

In the Heritage District, also known as the Original Town Site, the grant will "assist in providing capacity and more affordability to an underserved population with significant barriers to affordable internet," city officials stated.

More than 31% of households in the area have no broadband internet subscription, according  to the city.

Heritage District is generally located east of El Mirage Road and west of Dysart Road, south of Bell Road and north of Greenway Road.

This grant was awarded as part of ACA’s Arizona Broadband Development Grant Program.

The ACA announced 20 awardees of the grant for a total of $75.7 million.

Surprise was one of three cities in Maricopa County that received an award, according to the city.