ALEXANDRIA, La. - The USDA has invested $15.5 million in a high-speed broadband infrastructure project that will create or improve rural e-Connectivity for 2,609 rural households, 12 pre-subscribed businesses and 16 pre-subscribed farms in Iberville, Pointe Coupee and St. Landry parishes, USDA Rural Development Louisiana State Director Roy Holleman announced on Tuesday.
These grants, loans and combination funds enable the federal government to partner with the private sector and rural communities to build modern broadband infrastructure in areas with insufficient internet service. Insufficient service is defined as connection speeds of less than 10 megabits per second (Mbps) download and 1 Mbps upload.
Star Telephone Company Inc. will use a $7.7 million ReConnect Program grant and a $7.7 million ReConnect Program loan to deploy 154 miles of optical fiber and 95 miles of drop optical fiber cable to the premises. The project will cover 136 square miles in Iberville, Pointe Coupee and St. Landry parishes.
For more information, visit www.rd.usda.gov.
