Gordon Announces $49 Million for North Central Telephone Cooperative’ Broadband Expansion

January 29, 2010, LAFAYETTE. – Congressman Bart Gordon announced North Central Telephone Cooperative has received a $24.7 million grant and $24.9 million loan of Recovery Act funds to expand fiber-optic broadband Internet service in Macon, Sumner and Smith Counties.

“Broadband Internet access is absolutely essential to fostering growth and creating jobs in our rural counties. This monumental project will create solid jobs and leave North Central Tennessee with the infrastructure it needs to attract industry to the area,” Gordon said. “I am committed to making sure every corner of Middle Tennessee is plugged in to the opportunities that broadband access represents. For every dollar invested in broadband, the economy receives a ten-fold return on that investment.”

The large-scale deployment of advanced fiber-optic cable will impact an estimated 1,000 business and 15,000 homes in an area that has been historically underserved because of its challenging terrain. Expanded access will provide infrastructure to support business development, schools and hospitals in the region. Construction on the project is set to take three years and begin simultaneously in the Macon, Sumner and Smith Counties.

The North Central Telephone Cooperative, a locally owned and operated cooperative, has made special effort to foster strong community relationships and bring new Internet users into the fold. The cooperative hopes to use some of the funding to provide classes and expanded outreach to familiarize users with the Internet as a personal and business tool. The cooperative is also seeking to contract with locally-headquartered construction companies to lay the required 1,000 miles of fiber-optic cable, according to CEO Nancy White.

“An area this rural could not have afforded to provide fiber-optic technology without some assistance,” White stated. “We can’t thank Congressman Gordon enough for sitting down with us in Cookeville to discuss the project and being so supportive throughout. This funding means more than just jobs; this means that our service customers can take advantage of broadband technology to develop their own economic opportunities in the future.” 

Gordon has championed the project, expressing his support to the Rural Utility Service administrators responsible for the grant selection process.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture awarded the grant through a competitive process made possible by funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The Recovery Act set aside $2.5 billion to help bring broadband services to un-served and underserved rural communities. The Recovery Act passed the U.S. House of Representatives with Gordon’s support last year.