These member/owners serve ten counties across Indiana and will receive $21.7 million in funding
INDIANAPOLIS (August 16, 2019) – Intelligent Fiber Network (IFN), a leader among Indiana’s commercial fiber broadband providers, today applauds five of its owner companies and one of its owner’s member companies for being awarded funding grants from Indiana’s Next Level Connections Broadband Grant Program. The owners’ projects represent 10 of the 11 projects receiving support and total $21.7 million of the total $22.1 million in funding.
The Next Level Connections Broadband Grant Program is designed to promote access to broadband service across Indiana. As one part of the broader Next Level Connections infrastructure program, the Broadband Grant Program is a $100 million investment to deploy broadband in unserved areas. Officials note the support from this funding round will establish broadband infrastructure in more than 4,800 homes and commercial locations in 12 counties total.
The following IFN owners and owner’s member company projects are recipients of the Next Level Connections Broadband Grant Program awards:
Miles Communication Corporation (ETC), Bartholomew, Jennings and Shelby Counties
This project will serve approximately 366 unserved households and 135 unserved businesses in primarily rural portions of Bartholomew, Jennings and Shelby Counties in southeastern Indiana. The requested grant amount is $2.8 million with a local match of $2.9 million, for a total project cost of more than $5.7 million.
Washington County Rural Telephone Cooperative, Inc. (Telemedia), Clark and Floyd Counties
This project will serve approximately 334 unserved households, four unserved businesses and one unserved community anchor institution in primarily rural portions of southwest Clark County and northern Floyd County. The requested grant amount is more than $2.8 million with a local match of more than $754,000, for a total project cost of more than $3.6 million.
LigTel Communications, Noble County
This project will serve 83 unserved households and 12 unserved businesses in the rural towns of Brimfield and Merriam in Noble County. The requested grant amount is almost $442,000 with a local match of more than $117,000 for a total project cost of nearly $559,000.
Perry-Spencer Rural Telephone Cooperative, Inc., Perry County
This project will serve approximately 357 unserved households and 39 unserved businesses in rural portions of southern Perry County. The requested grant amount is almost $1.5 million with a local match of more than $396,000, for a total project cost of almost $1.9 million.
Perry-Spencer Rural Telephone Cooperative, Inc., Spencer County
This project will serve approximately 1,578 unserved households and 176 unserved businesses in primarily rural portions of Spencer County. The requested grant amount is $5 million with a local match of more than $6 million for a total project cost of more than $11 million.
Perry-Spencer Rural Telephone Cooperative, Inc., Spencer County
This project will serve approximately 747 unserved households and 187 unserved businesses in Spencer County. The requested grant amount is nearly $5 million with a local match of more than $1.3 million, for a total project cost of more than $6.3 million.
Perry-Spencer Rural Telephone Cooperative, Inc., Spencer County
This project will serve approximately 473 unserved households and 53 unserved businesses in Spencer County. The requested grant amount is nearly $3.5 million with a local match of nearly $919,000 for a total project cost of nearly $4.4 million.
New Lisbon Broadband and Communications, LLC, Wayne County
The project will provide reliable broadband service to 82 unserved households in Wayne County. New Lisbon Broadband will place middle mile fiber cable east from US 27 along Wallace Road to the Whitewater Community. The requested grant amount is nearly $260,000 with a local match of more than $270,000, for a total project cost of more than $530,000.
Tipmont REMC, Tippecanoe County
The project will serve 27 unserved households and three unserved businesses in northwestern Tippecanoe County to include portions of Shelby Township. The requested grant amount is more than $444,000 with a local match is more than $118,000 for a total project cost of more than $562,000.
“We are thrilled to see so many of our member/owners receiving these critical investment dollars to help build out their fiber broadband solutions,” said IFN CEO Jim Turner. “We applaud Governor Holcomb and his team for their understanding of the importance of equal access to fiber broadband. Hoosiers in rural communities need to have equal access to economic opportunities in today’s information age. I look forward to seeing these counties thrive.”
Last year, IFN announced a plan to invest up to $100 million over the next five years in Indiana, as well as a multi-year, multi-million-dollar network upgrade across the state. The upgrades and investments increase capacity, improve stability, and add operational and network efficiency; all of which are geared toward enhancing customers’ service experience. To learn more about Intelligent Fiber Network, its services and member/owners, visit www.intelligentfiber.com.
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About Intelligent Fiber Network
Intelligent Fiber Network (IFN) is owned by 20 Indiana local exchange telephone companies and one rural electric cooperative. IFN provides high-speed fiber-optic backbone capabilities to these owners as well as to other telecommunications providers and business direct customers including hospitals, schools and government facilities. IFN’s network consists of more than 4,500 route miles of fiber-optic line across more than 60 Indiana counties. IFN offers commercial service in Indiana and throughout the US via a network of national partners. For more information, visit intelligentfiber.com or call (866) 406-4636.
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