TDS® announces completion of two more ARRA broadband stimulus projects
Completed projects deliver high-speed Internet service to a combined 2,850 households in Maine and Mississippi.
TDS Telecom (TDS®) announces the completion of its American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) stimulus-funded broadband Internet projects in parts of Maine and Mississippi. The result, more than a combined 2,850 households gain access to high-speed Internet service.
TDS is receiving funding for 44 projects, including these two, from the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Rural Utilities Service (RUS) as part of the ARRA.
One of TDS’ largest stimulus-funded projects, and the final of three projects in Maine, is now complete. It impacts parts of Somerset and Franklin counties in TDS’ Somerset Telephone Company exchange. TDS installed more than 100 miles of fiber optics cabling and 40 cabinets (which protect the advanced network electronics). In mid-February, TDS announced a portion of this project, around Kingfield, was complete. Today, the entire project is finished and provides about 2,000 area residents access to high-speed Internet service — 550 more households than projected in TDS’ application. TDS projected the cost at nearly $7.8 million. The RUS grant covered 75 percent of the cost and TDS invested the remaining 25 percent (more than $1.9 million) to expand broadband to more businesses and residents.
TDS’ stimulus-funded project in Mississippi is also now complete and impacts customers in parts of Grenada, Calhoun, and Webster counties. TDS reported in early April that a portion of this project, in TDS’ Calhoun City Telephone Company, was complete. The project included installing about 50 miles of fiber optics cabling and 17 cabinets in order to connect about 850 area residents (nearly 300 more households than projected in TDS’ funding application) to high-speed Internet service. TDS projected the cost at more than $3.9 million. The company invested 25 percent (nearly $1 million) and the RUS grant covered 75 percent.
Nationwide, more than 95 percent of TDS customers already have access to high-speed Internet service. TDS is intent on providing as many remaining customers with broadband connectivity as possible. According to TDS, federal stimulus funds are helping to close the gap and deliver Internet connectivity. With the help of ARRA funding, TDS has already expanded high-speed Internet service access to nearly 31,500 households across the country.
For background information or to sign-up for services, call 888-225-5837 or visit www.tdstelecom.com/stimulus
