Earlier this month, Wisconsin awarded broadband funds to AT&T, Charter, and Frontier for deployment in underserved and unserved rural communities. Nonetheless, small local businesses received most of the $42 million awarded.
AT&T emerged as the clear winner securing three grants out of the three big businesses. AT&T won three awards, which came to over $2.3 million, and the company promised to contribute to the project’s costs of over $18.7 million.
A $2.9 million grant went to Charter, and the company also agreed to contribute the additional project costs of $3.5 million.
Frontier was awarded $281,000, and the business will also contribute $377,960. The initiative was funded by the federal government’s Capital Projects Fund.
The State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund provided about $1.3 million of the funding.
Let us also know about the local companies that have received the grants. This month, three local businesses received the highest award totals.
They are Chibardun Telephone Cooperative, Pierce Pepin Cooperative Services, also known as SwiftCurrent Connect, and East Central Energy, also known as ECE Fiber.
Chibardun Telephone Cooperative has won six grants totaling about $12.6 million. The company’s contribution to the total project costs is $14 million.
Pierce Pepin Cooperative Services, also known as SwiftCurrent Connect, has won three awards totaling about $8 million. The company’s contribution to total project costs will be nearly $13 million.
East Central Energy, also known as ECE Fiber, has won two awards totaling about $7.2 million. The company’s contribution to total project costs will be $8.8 million.
Thirteen companies have won the funding, and here is a list:
- Pierce Pepin Cooperative Services
- Chibardun Telephone Cooperative
- Cochrane Cooperative Telephone Company
- Hilbert Communications
- Norvado
- Citizens Telephone Cooperative
- AT&T
- East Central Energy
- Charter
- 24-7 Telcom
- Frontier
- Wittenberg Telephone Company
- Union Telephone Company
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