Two years after a referendum where an overwhelming majority of residents voted to establish a locally owned and operated telecommunications utility, Fort Dodge, Iowa (pop. 25,000) continues to plow forward with its plans for a municipal fiber-to-the-home network. Financing has been secured, with plans to issue a Request for Proposals next spring and break ground on the new network by the summer of 2022.
New Treasury Rules: Good News for Community-Driven Broadband Solutions
The U.S. Department of Treasury broke new ground in federal broadband policy when the agency released guidelines governing the $10 billion Coronavirus Capital Projects Fund. The Treasury's guidance directs applicants to incorporate plans in their project proposals to address long-overlooked barriers to broadband adoption, and gives state and local governments increased flexibility to decide how to spend the relief funds.
Southwest Kentucky Counties Aim to Bowl Over Residents with Better Broadband
A municipal utility currently offering fiber Internet access to the residents of Hopkinsville, Hopkinsville Electric System (HES) is joining forces with Pennyrile Electric Cooperative to extend fiber-to-the-home Internet service to as many homes as possible in Pennyrile Electric’s service territory in southwestern Kentucky, starting with Christian, Trigg, and Todd Counties.
Kentucky County and Co-op Match Funds to Expand FTTH
A rural west Kentucky county and cooperative recently announced that they are joining forces to expand the co-op's existing fiber network to reach every unserved and underserved location in the county. Calloway County and WK&T Telecommunications Cooperative are each committing a $6.2 million matching contribution for the first phase of the expansion project, which will see the co-op’s fiber-to-the-home network in the region extended 236 miles to serve an additional 4,274 homes and businesses.
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