Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue recently announced that USDA is awarding four loans to help provide broadband service in rural portions of Illinois, Iowa, Texas and California.
“Too many rural areas still lack access to robust, affordable broadband services that can create jobs and boost rural economies,” Perdue said. “These broadband infrastructure investments will connect rural communities to a digital future and will help expand access to high-speed internet, health care, educational and business services in rural communities.”
The $43.6 million announced last week will add nearly 1,000 miles of fiber to fund broadband service.
In Illinois, Viola Home Telephone Co., a few miles east of Aledo, will use a $3.3 million loan to construct 104 miles of fiber cable and provide supporting equipment to deliver enhanced telecommunications services to its rural subscribers.
USDA is providing these loans through Rural Development’s Telecommunications Program, which funds infrastructure and equipment to deliver broadband and distance learning and telemedicine services throughout rural America.
Source: http://www.saukvalley.com/2017/06/09/illinios-gets-usda-money-to-expand-rural-broadband/acx7wb6/