USDA Announces Funding to Expand and Improve Broadband Services in Rural Areas

Source: USDA news release
Created: November 14, 2011

Providing residents and businesses increased opportunities to connect with global markets

Photo by Bruce Fritz/USDA-ARS

Twenty-eight telephone utilities will build, expand and improve broadband in their rural service territories across 18 states.
Twenty-eight telephone utilities will build, expand and improve broadband in their rural service territories across 18 states.

Inland Telephone Company--$24,823,000 in loan funds will be used to expand Inland's FTTP broadband system and connect new subscribers.
The Toledo Telephone Co., Inc.--$18,091,000 in loan funds will be used to install 292 miles of buried fiber optic cables and related equipment throughout the proposed FTTP system, offering enhanced service to all Toledo subscribers.

Wisconsin

Union Telephone Company--$13,308,000 in loan funds will enable Union to deploy approximately 336 miles of fiber, which will provide approximately 60 percent of Union's subscribers with access to improved broadband services.
Marquette-Adams Telephone Cooperative, Inc.--$19,781,000 Marquette-Adams will use loan funds to complete a system-wide FTTP network, including over 370 miles of new or modified buried fiber, providing enhanced broadband service to all subscribers.
Vernon Telephone Cooperative--$24,143,000 in loan funds will be used to install 1,206 miles of buried fiber optic cables and related equipment throughout the proposed FTTP system. The FTTP system will offer enhanced broadband service to 90 percent of subscribers.

Wyoming and Colorado

Dubois Telephone Exchange, Inc.--$11,391,000 in loan funds will be used to expand the FTTP system to provide video and data services over an optic network with speeds up to 100 Mbps. Included in this loan is $9,462,000 for construction and engineering in Wyoming and $1,929,000 for construction and engineering in Colorado.