How’s this for a feel good story? A Colorado teen’s longing for broadband in his rural community inspired the local phone company to apply for, and win, a $4.3 million broadband grant.
The Fort Morgan Times outlines how 14 year old Kraig Castor wasn’t satisfied with the broadband options for his community, which at the time amounted to satellite broadband that “was just not fast enough.” As a result he approached Wiggins Telephone Association, who had fiber running past Castor’s community, asking for broadband. Unfortunately for Castor, the all too familiar scenario of high cost to extend broadband access in rural communities prevented WTA from providing its broadband service to his home. “The whole situation was frustrating at first, because the underground line went right past his home,” Todd Castor, Kraig’s father, tells the Fort Morgan Times.
WTA used Castor’s request as supporting evidence for their broadband stimulus application. Their $4.3 million award, which is made up of a $2.16 million grant and a $2.17 million loan from RUS’ BIP portion of the broadband stimulus program, will now fund expansion of broadband access to Castor’s community.
