Kansas companies receive loans, grants to provide rural broadband

WASHINGTON, July 2, 2010 – Today President Obama, Agriculture Secretary Vilsack and Commerce Secretary Locke announced investment in sixty-six new Recovery Act broadband projects nationwide, 37 in rural America that, according to the grantees, will not only directly create over 5,000 jobs up front, but also help spur economic development in some of the nation’s hardest-hit communities, creating jobs for years to come. In total, tens of millions of Americans and over 685,000 businesses, 900 healthcare facilities and 2,400 schools in all fifty states stand to benefit from the awards. The $780 million in grants and loans through the Departments of Commerce and Agriculture have been matched by over $200 million in outside investment, for a total public-private investment of nearly $1 billion in bringing broadband service to these communities, which currently have little or no access, to help them better compete and do business in the global marketplace.

“The broadband projects announced today will give rural communities access to the tools they need to create jobs, stimulate local economies, and build a foundation for future prosperity,” said Vilsack.

Today’s announcement begins the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s second round of broadband funding announcements through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Recovery Act). In all, $390.9 million will be invested in 37 projects through funding made available by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. An additional $21.9 millionin private investment will be provided, bringing the total funds invested to $412.7 million. To date, $1.458 billion has been awarded to construct 105 broadband projects in 37 states and one territory.

• H & B Communications Inc.; FTTH – Rural Ellinwood & Claflin, Kansas: $1,965,455 loan, $4,586,064 grant and $1,637,880 private investment. This fiber-to-the-home project will provide high speed broadband in the underserved rural communities surrounding Claflin and Ellinwood, Kansas.
• J.B.N. Telephone Company, Inc.; JBN East Towns: $1,000,568 loan and $2,323,576 grant. The funding will enable the JBN Telephone Company, headquartered in Holton KS., to construct fiber-to-the-premises throughout six towns in their eastern exchange area. This area includes the towns of Corning, Goff, Havensville, Netawaka, Soldier and Wetmore.
• South Central Wireless Inc.; South Central Wireless – Attica, Kansas Fiber-to-the-Premise: $560,000 loan, $557,621 grant and $575,973 private investment. The funds will enable construction of a fiber-to-the-premise infrastructure for Attica, KS, and offer voice and high speed services. The proposed technology for this system will be immediately capable of dedicated 100Mbps high-speed services for each customer without further investment of time or finances. Attica does not have wireline facilities-based broadband service available.