USDA Awards $23.7 Million ReConnect Program Broadband Grant In North Carolina

November 6, 2019 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture has announced that the fifth ReConnect Pilot Program broadband award, a grant in the amount of $23,726,478, has been provided to Star Telephone Membership Corporation in North Carolina. The grant will be used to build a gigabit-capable passive optical network (GPON) which will be 100% buried fiber-to-the-home network. The funded service areas include 8,749 households, 10 educational facilities, and 3 critical community facilities spread over 739 square miles. For the total project, Star Telephone Membership Corporation will build over 535 miles of buried plant to serve 3,570 locations while passing 4,462 possible service locations consisting of farms, businesses, residential, and critical community institutions. USDA’s $600 million ReConnect Program provides loans and grants to construct broadband infrastructure in rural America. USDA received 146 applications for the first round of funding, requesting $1.4 billion across all three ReConnect Program funding categories: 100 percent loan, 100 percent grant, and loan-grant combinations. USDA has made five awards under the program, totaling $ 44,328,101 in grant and loan funding for broadband infrastructure in five states. USDA is currently reviewing applications and will announce additional awards on a rolling basis.

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USDA Awards $4.2 Million ReConnect Program Broadband Grant In Oklahoma

November 5, 2019 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture has announced that the fourth ReConnect Pilot Program broadband award, a grant in the amount of $4,202,222, has been provided to Oklahoma Western Telephone Company. The grant will be used to deploy a fiber-to-the-premises broadband network capable of simultaneous transmission rates of 100 Mbps or greater. The funded service areas include 321 households, 20 farms, and 3 critical community facilities spread over 171 square miles. The broadband network deployment will include 61 miles of aerial and buried fiber with GPON FTTP electronics. The project is expected to facilitate more access to services and information for local residents, and it will improve the overall quality of life for people in the community. USDA’s $600 million ReConnect Program provides loans and grants to construct broadband infrastructure in rural America. USDA received 146 applications for the first round of funding, requesting $1.4 billion across all three ReConnect Program funding categories: 100 percent loan, 100 percent grant, and loan-grant combinations. USDA received 78 applications requesting grant-only funding, and 53 applications requesting loan-grant combination funding. USDA is currently reviewing applications and will announce additional awards on a rolling basis.

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USDA Awards $3.8 Million ReConnect Program Broadband Loan In Virginia

November 4, 2019 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture has announced that the third ReConnect Pilot Program broadband award, a loan in the amount of $3,793,234, has been provided to Mecklenburg Electric Cooperative in Virginia. The 100% loan will be used to deploy a fiber-to-the-home broadband network capable of simultaneous transmission rates of 100 Mbps or greater. The 158.3 square mile funded service area includes 1,254 households, two volunteer fire departments, and four educational facilities. The project will facilitate more access to services and information for local residents, and it will improve the overall quality of life for people in the community. USDA’s $600 million ReConnect Program provides loans and grants to construct broadband infrastructure in rural America. USDA received 146 applications for the first round of funding, requesting $1.4 billion across all three ReConnect Program funding categories: 100 percent loan, 100 percent grant, and loan-grant combinations. USDA received78 applications requesting grant-only funding, and 53 applications requesting loan-grant combination funding. USDA has made three awards under the program, totaling $16,399,401 in funding in three states. USDA is currently reviewing applications and will announce additional awards on a rolling basis.

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USDA Awards $9.75 Million ReConnect Program Broadband Grant In South Carolina

October 22, 2019 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture has announced that the second ReConnect Pilot Program broadband grant, in the amount of $9,750,000, has been awarded to Orangeburg, County, South Carolina. The grant will be used to deploy a fiber-to-the-home broadband network capable of simultaneous transmission rates of 100 Mbps or greater. The service areas funded by the $9.75 million grant include 3,911 households, 21 farms, 17 rural businesses, 13 educational facilities, nine critical community facilities and a health care center. USDA’s $600 million ReConnect Program provides loans and grants to construct broadband infrastructure in rural America. USDA received 146 applications for the first round of funding, requesting $1.4 billion across all three ReConnect Program funding categories: 100 percent loan, 100 percent grant, and loan-grant combinations. USDA received78 applications requesting grant-only funding, and 53 applications requesting loan-grant combination funding. USDA is currently reviewing applications and will announce additional awards on a rolling basis.

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USDA Awards $2.85 Million ReConnect Program Broadband Grant In Tennessee

October 18, 2019 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture has announced that the first ReConnect Pilot Program broadband grant has been awarded to Tennessee’s Forked Deer Electric Cooperative. The company will use the $2,856,167 grant to deploy a fiber-to-the-home broadband network capable of simultaneous transmission rates of 100 Mbps or greater. The high-speed broadband infrastructure will create or improve connectivity for 347 rural households and one critical community facility spread over approximately 435 square miles in Tennessee. USDA’s $600 million ReConnect Program provides loans and grants to construct broadband infrastructure in rural America. USDA received 146 applications for the first round of funding, requesting $1.4 billion across all three ReConnect Program funding categories: 100 percent loan, 100 percent grant, and loan-grant combinations. USDA received78 applications requesting grant-only funding, and 53 applications requesting loan-grant combination funding. USDA is currently reviewing applications and will announce additional awards on a rolling basis.

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