(tn.gov/Peg Broadcasting News)
Senate Commerce and Labor Committee Chairman Paul Bailey (R-Sparta) and House Speaker Cameron Sexton (R-Crossville) praised the award of two major grants announced by the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development to expand broadband in underserved communities in Cumberland and Bledsoe Counties.
“I am delighted that so many homes in our rural communities will be connected through this grant program,” said Sen. Bailey, who has supported funding for the program in the Tennessee General Assembly.
“The pandemic has highlighted the need for reliable, high speed internet services, as well as the flexibility these services can provide to our homes, schools, businesses, and healthcare providers,” said Speaker Sexton.
This new investment of $1.9 million through the state’s broadband accessibility grant program is in addition to the nearly $21.3 million in state and federal funding already announced and allocated for local projects in Cumberland County since 2020. The total investment is $23.2 million.
A $727,955 award will expand broadband to 406 addresses through Bledsoe Telephone Cooperative. The project amount is $1.45 million with the grantee contract match at 50 percent. The second grant totals $1.92 million and will serve 1,125 addresses through Volunteer First Services, which will also match at 50 percent for a project amount of $3.84 million.