The USDA ReConnect program is investing more than $16 million to provide broadband to unserved or underserved areas of Arkansas and Indiana. The investments are part of the $550 million second round of the program.
There were three investments made in Arkansas:
- The Mountain View Telephone Company got a $2.9 million ReConnect grant to deploy FTTP network connecting 1,331 people, 39 farms, six businesses, two fire stations and a post in Stone County.
- The Northern Arkansas Telephone Company got a $4.7 million grant to deploy a FTTP network to connect 1,202 people, 68 farms and six businesses in Marion County.
- The Arkansas Telephone Company got a $4.1 million grant to deploy a FTTP network to connect 491 people, 92 farms and four businesses in Pope and Van Buren counties.
Earlier this year in Arkansas, The Mountain View Telephone Company was awarded a grant for $3.75 million and the Yelcot Telephone Company got a grant $3.4 million in a grant/loan combination.
Two entities received USDA ReConnect awards in Indiana:
- Jackson County Rural Electric Membership Corp. received a $1.9 million loan and a $1.9 million grant to deploy a FTTP network to connect 4,881 people, 198 farms and 36 businesses in Indiana’s Jackson and Lawrence counties.
- Tipmont Rural Electric Membership Corp received a $1 million grant to deploy a FTTP network to connect 279 people, 10 businesses and 16 farms in Fountain County.
In all, the second round of the ReConnect program generated 172 applications totaling $1.57 billion, which are competing for $550 million in available funding. The first round resulted in an announced investment of $698 million to provide services to about 167,000 households, 17,000 rural small businesses and farms and more than 500 health care centers, educational facilities and critical community facilities in 33 states.
