Press Releases

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development has awarded Pembroke Telephone Cooperative a $10 million loan. The funding will support the deployment of a fiber-to-the-premises network benefiting Craig, Giles and Montgomery Counties. U.S. Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA) issued the following statement:

“Investments in broadband infrastructure prepare rural communities for access to high-speed internet.

“This USDA Rural Development loan for $10 million helps Pembroke Telephone Cooperative deliver reliable broadband to individuals, businesses and farms in the rural communities they serve.”

BACKGROUND

The funding is made available through the USDA Rural Development Broadband Reconnect Program, which furnishes loans and grants to provide funds for the costs of construction, improvement, or acquisition of facilities and equipment needed to provide broadband service in eligible rural areas.

In 2022, Pembroke Telephone Cooperative received a USDA Rural Development loan guarantee of $5 million to construct fiber-to-the-premises facilities.

Congressman Griffith has advocated for greater access to broadband in the Ninth District, recently speaking in a Communications & Technology Subcommittee hearing with an official from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) as well as monitoring and encouraging approval of Virginia’s Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) program submitted by Governor Youngkin.

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