The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced a $401 million investment to provide high-speed internet access to rural communities in the country.
The investment will benefit 31,000 rural residents in 11 states—Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, Nevada, North Dakota, and Texas—according to a July 28 USDA press release.
As part of the program, Uprise LLC will receive a grant of $27.1 million to deploy a fiber-to-the-premises network in Nevada’s Pershing County that will connect seven public schools, 22 farms, 130 businesses, and 4,884 people to high-speed internet.
The Midvale Telephone Company will receive a $10.6 million loan to deploy a fiber-to-the-home network. This is expected to help individuals and businesses access high-speed internet in multiple counties in Idaho and Arizona.
A grant of $12 million will be awarded to the Arkansas Telephone Company Inc. for deploying a fiber-to-the-premises network in Van Buren and Searcy counties.
“From the farm to the school, from households to international markets, connectivity drives positive change in our communities. The investments I am announcing today will help 31,000 people and businesses in large and diverse regions across the country access new and critical opportunities,” USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack said.