USDA invests $9.75 million in rural broadband for South Carolina families

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has invested $9,750,000 in high-speed broadband infrastructure that will create or improve rural e-Connectivity for 3,911 rural households in South Carolina. This is one of many funding announcements in the first round of USDA’s ReConnect Pilot Program investments.

“Our core mission at USDA is to increase rural prosperity through boosting economic opportunity in rural America,” Secretary Perdue said. “We know that rural communities need robust, modern infrastructure to thrive, and that includes having access to broadband e-Connectivity.”

Orangeburg, County, S.C., will use ReConnect Program grant funding to deploy a fiber to the home (FTTH) broadband network capable of simultaneous transmission rates of 100 megabits per second (Mbps) or greater. The funded service areas include 3,911 households, 21 farms, 17 rural businesses, 13 educational facilities, nine critical community facilities and a health care center. The project will facilitate more access to services and information for local residents, and it will improve the overall quality of life for people in the community.

Original source: USDA
Published on 22 October 2019