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PCCA Journal|1
st
Quarter 2010
29
A
griculture Secretary Tom Vilsack in January
announced the selection of 14 broadband
infrastructure projects that will receive more
than $309 million through funding made
available by the American Recovery and Re-
investment Act. An additional $3.5 million in
private investment brings the total to more than $313
million. Altogether, Congress awarded USDA $2.5 bil-
lion in Recovery Act funding to help bring broadband
services to rural unserved and underserved communi-
ties.
Below is a complete list of recent Recovery Act
Broadband award recipients by state.
Alaska
Southwestern Alaska, United Utilities, $43,982,240
•
grant and $44,158,522 loan. The funding will provide
middle-mile connectivity to 65 communities.
Alabama
Butler, Butler Telephone Co., Inc., $3,892,920 grant.
•
The funding will provide high-speed DSL broadband
service to remote, unserved households within its
rural service territory. The system is being built so
that it can be easily upgraded to accommodate future
services.
California
San Joaquin, Tranquillity, and Fresno, Audeamus,
•
$2,741,505 grant and $2,741,505 loan. The proposed
project is a fiber-based broadband infrastructure
for the unserved and underserved communities in
this service area. A last-mile project, it will provide
access to approximately 1,500 households, local busi-
nesses, and anchor institutions in the communities.
Iowa
Meriden and Archer, C-M-L Telephone Cooperative
•
Association, $1,519,225 grant and $1,519,225 loan,
$1,525,315 in matching funds. Funding will provide
services via a fiber optic network to rural communi-
ties with high-speed internet exceeding 20 Mbps.
Bennett, Delmar, and Lowden, F & B Communica-
•
tions, Inc., $1,609,162 grant and $1,628,588 loan.
Funding will provide services via high-speed fiber
optic network with speeds exceeding 20Mbps. Sys-
tem will allow for expansion at a future date.
Springbrook, LaMotte Telephone Company, $187,815
•
grant and $187,815 loan. The funding will provide
services from a 300-foot tower and Wi-Max installa-
tion for wireless broadband service in the surround-
ing area.
Kansas
Western Kansas, Rural Telephone Service Co., Inc.,
•
$49,588,807 grant and $51,612,842 loan. Funding will
provide service in an area 99.5 percent unserved/un-
derserved and provide a rural infrastructure required
for economic stability, education, and healthcare.
The company is a cooperative and RUS partner on
32 other projects. It leads a team of seven companies
with this shovel-ready project.
Tennessee
Northern Tennessee, North Central Telephone Coop-
•
erative, Inc., $24,715,709 grant and $24,964,000 loan.
The funding will provide the necessary infrastructure
to provide advanced voice, video, and data services
that exceed 20Mbps to remote and rural communities
in the service area.
Louisiana
Morehouse Parish, Northeast Louisiana Telephone
•
Company, Inc., $4,359,000 grant and $8,124,600
loan. Funding will provide an active Ethernet system
with symmetrical speeds of 20 Mbps. The system will
be using buried fiber to the premise.
Missouri
Ralls County, Ralls County Electric Cooperative,
•
$9,548,908 grant and $9,548,909 loan. Funding for
this project will provide a fiber optic network to
residential and commercial members and the un-
derserved safety and anchor agencies in the service
area. This is a State of Missouri demonstration proj-
ect, and non-proprietary data will be shared.
News Briefs
News Briefs continued on page 30
New USDA Broadband Funds Focus
on Middle- and Last-Mile Projects