Pilot broadband loan grant combo - grant

The Pine Belt Telephone Company, Inc. was awarded a $24.9 million Project Grant from the United States Department of Agriculture Rural Utilities Service. The grant funding supports the Distance Learning and Telemedicine Loans and Grants program, which aims to encourage and improve the use of telemedicine, telecommunications, computer networks, and related advanced technologies to provide educational and medical benefits through distance learning and telemedicine projects in rural areas.

Specifically, the grant will enable Pine Belt Telephone Company to deliver distance learning and telemedicine services to residents in and around Arlington, Alabama through August 2024. The funding will support project activities such as broadband infrastructure deployment, internet connectivity expansion, and telehealth/online education services that increase rural access to essential medical care and learning opportunities via telecommunications technologies.