One broadband company in Mississippi has been named the recipient of a $15 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in an effort to bring high-speed internet access to residents in rural areas of the state.
On Thursday, USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that a total of $63 million will be invested in parts of Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, and Mississippi with funds from President Joe Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The funding is intended to expand reliable, affordable, and high-speed internet to communities across the United States.
“Investing in high-speed internet is a fundamental part of our partnership with rural communities,” Secretary Vilsack said. “Connecting rural Americans with reliable internet brings new and innovative ideas to the rest of our country. Under the leadership of President Biden and Vice President Harris, USDA is committed to ensuring that the people who make up the rich tapestry in rural areas have every opportunity to succeed – and that people can find those opportunities right at home in their communities.”
As a recipient of the newly awarded funds, Uplink Internet LLC will be tasked to deploy a fiber-to-the-premises network to 2,340 people in Mississippi.
An estimated total of 143 farms, 45 businesses, and one public school in Coahoma, Quitman, and Tunica counties are also expected to see an increase in high-speed internet within their communities.
