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FCC awards $126M for Internet in rural Montana â Now what?
Questions remain about final product
By: Mike Dennison
and last updated 2020-12-15 19:50:42-05
HELENA â Nearly $126 million in federal funds have been awarded to six firms to bring high-speed Internet to some rural areas in Montana â but questions remain about what the final product will look like.
âIf youâre one of those unserved customers and you have somebody maybe coming and delivering broadband where you donât have it â I canât see anything wrong with that,â said Geoff Feiss of the Montana Telecommunication Association. âBut once you start peeling that onion back and start looking at the details, is where some of the concerns arise.â
U.S. SENATE â U.S. Senator Jon Tester announced Montana will receive more than $125 million to expand high-speed internet access to more than 45,000 locations across rural Montana.
The funds are available through the Federal Communications Commissionâs Rural Development Opportunity Fund (RDOF) and will be allocated to providers to help close the digital gap and deliver high-speed internet service to unserved homes and businesses. Tester will now work to hold the companies receiving funds accountable through his role on the Senate Commerce Committee.
âFast, reliable internet service is critical, especially as we continue working, learning, and socializing from home,â Tester said. But too many folks in Montana have slow, unreliable internet or donât have access altogether, and this groundbreaking investment will help bring those homes and businesses into the 21st century. Now itâs time to roll up our sleeves and make sure these resources are deployed qui