The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is investing $2.3 million to provide broadband service in unserved and underserved rural areas in North Carolina. This investment is part of the $550 million Congress allocated to the second round of the ReConnect Program. 

 

Yadkin Valley Telephone Membership Corporation will use a $2.3 million ReConnect grant to deploy a fiber-to-the-premises network. This network will connect 5,686 people, 67 farms and 18 businesses to high-speed broadband internet in Davie, Yadkin and Iredell counties in North Carolina.

 

“Access to high-speed internet is a cornerstone of prosperity, and unfortunately many of America’s rural communities lack access to this critical infrastructure,” USDA Deputy Under Secretary for Rural Development Bette Brand said. “Under the leadership of President Trump and Agriculture Secretary Perdue, USDA is committed to leveraging all available resources and being a strong partner to rural communities in deploying high-speed broadband e-Connectivity to the people, businesses and community facilities that don’t have access yet. Connecting America’s rural communities to this essential infrastructure is one of USDA’s top priorities, because we know that when rural America thrives, all of America thrives.”