Minnesota Rep. Dale Lueck announced $2.7 million in state broadband grants to upgrade unserved and underserved locations, reported the Brainerd Dispatch. The funding for the awards is from the state’s Border to Border Broadband Development Program, dedicated to providing state resources that help make the capital investments necessary for private sector providers to deliver high-speed broadband infrastructure where needed.
Lueck stated, “Unreliable or nonexistent internet service in parts of our region has held many people, including our school students and businesses, at a disadvantage in today’s electronic world.
The grant program requires a significant private-sector match and has helped us continue to make progress. While much more work remains, this latest round of awards is another big step forward.”
The latest grant will enable four entities to bring broadband to a total of 1,072 unserved and 453 underserved homes. It also includes three unserved businesses, three unserved farms, and one unserved community institution.
The Minnesota Office of Broadband Development administers the Border to Border Broadband Development Program. Awards are issued annually through a competitive process, and each award is met with local contributions either matching or exceeding the state’s contribution, according to the Dispatch.
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