Today, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced $173 million in broadband funding to providers in nine states, financed via the fifth round of the USDA’s ReConnect Program.
According to its website, the USDA’s ReConnect Program “furnishes loans and grants to provide funds for the costs of construction, improvement, or acquisition of facilities and equipment needed to provide broadband service in eligible rural areas.”
“Keeping the people of rural America connected with reliable, high-speed internet brings new and innovative ideas to the rest of our country and creates good-paying jobs,” USDA Rural Development Under Secretary Dr. Basil Gooden said in the announcement.
“Thanks to USDA’s ReConnect Program, we are connecting the most rural and remote communities to a global marketplace. The investments we are announcing today will drive economic security and rural prosperity for generations to come.”
Three organizations are receiving grants via the USDA broadband funding:
- Standing Rock Telecommunications Inc. (North Dakota): $22.23 million
- Copper Valley Telephone Cooperative Inc. (Alaska): $16.59 million
- 3 Rivers Telephone Cooperative Inc. (Montana): $5.58 million (also received a loan, see below)
Eight organizations are receiving loans via the USDA broadband funding:
- Western New Mexico Telephone Company Inc. (New Mexico): $45 million
- Roosevelt County Rural Telephone Cooperative (New Mexico): $29.08 million
- Mountain View Telephone Company (Arkansas): $25.28 million
- Pembroke Telephone Cooperative (Virginia): $10.06 million
- J.B.N. Telephone Company Inc. (Kansas): $6.63 million
- 3 Rivers Telephone Cooperative Inc. (Montana): $5.58 million (also received a grant, see above)
- Table Top Telephone Company Inc. (Arizona): $3.96 million
- Clear Creek Communications (Oregon): $2.82 million
Nine of the 10 providers receiving funding are members of NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association, which issued a statement of congratulations. “We are thrilled to see many of NTCA’s community-based members being awarded funding through this latest round of ReConnect support,” said NTCA Executive Vice President Mike Romano.
“No one is more dedicated to serving some of the most rural and remote areas of the country with future-proof technologies, and USDA continues to recognize their hard work. On behalf of NTCA and our members, I look forward to continued collaboration with USDA and others to connect the unconnected in rural America and to keep them connected.”
The funding for this fifth round of USDA ReConnect broadband funding was announced in March, with applications due in May.
