Windstream Begins Work On First Broadband Stimulus Project In Arkansas
by January 19, 2012 3:17 pm 195 views
Windstream has begun construction of its first broadband stimulus project in Arkansas near Harrison.
The work is being funded in part by a federal grant under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 and is a portion of $7.3 million in broadband money Windstream received in 2010.
Little Rock-based Windstream was the largest single recipient of broadband stimulus grants awarded by the U.S. Agriculture Department’s Rural Utilities Service when it won grants totaling $181.3 million for projects in 13 states, including Arkansas.
The grants, which are designed to deliver high-speed broadband connections to sparsely populated, remote areas, cover 75% of the cost of installing broadband. Windstream will invest the remaining 25%, a total of $60.4 million.
“This is an exciting day for Windstream and our customers in the Harrison area,” said Julia Anderson, regional vice president of operations for Windstream. “This project will expand our broadband network into unserved areas and make a high-speed Internet connection available to approximately 320 potential customers.”
Windstream says stimulus work is now underway in 12 of the 13 states where it has grants.
The Harrison project involves upgrading Windstream’s existing network with 4 miles of fiber optic cable as well as electronic equipment along state highways 43 and 7 southwest of Harrison. The work is scheduled to be completed in the first quarter of 2012.