Consolidated Accepts $4 M From Connect America for Rural Broadband

Media Contact:

Mark Wigfield, (202) 418-0253

mark.wigfield@fcc.gov

For Immediate Release

Consolidated Telecom Accepts Nearly $14 Million in Annual Support from Connect

America Fund to Expand and Support Broadband for Nearly 50,000 Rural

Consumers in Six States

--

WASHINGTON, August 27, 2015 - Consolidated Telecom, Inc. has accepted $13,922,480 in

annual, ongoing support from the Connect America Fund to expand and support broadband for

nearly 50,000 of its rural customers.

The Connect America Fund support will enable Consolidated to deliver broadband at speeds of at

least 10 Mbps for downloads and 1 Mbps uploads to nearly 25,000 homes and businesses in its

rural service areas where the cost of broadband deployment might otherwise be prohibitive.

Consolidated's decision to accept support from the Connect America Fund will greatly benefit

its rural customers by expanding robust broadband in their communities, said FCC Chairman

Tom Wheeler. The Connect America Fund is delivering on its promise of ensuring that all

Americans have access to the opportunities provided by modern broadband service, no matter

where they live.

Below is the amount of annual support provided by the offer and number of homes and

businesses served by state:

State

Consolidated Total

24,698

$13,922,480

CA

71

$14,837

IA

3,019

$2,393,216

IL

12,079

$6,998,705

MN

4,266

$2,516,502

PA

175

$83,898

TX

5,088

$1,915,321

Like telephone service in the 20th Century, broadband has become essential to life in the 21st

Century. But, according to the FCC's latest Broadband Progress Report, nearly one in three rural

Americans lack access to 10/1 broadband, compared to only one in 100 urban Americans. The

Connect America Fund is designed to close that rural-urban digital divide.

The FCC's traditional universal service program succeeded in ensuring telephone network

coverage in rural America by providing subsidies where the cost of service would otherwise be

prohibitive. In late 2011, the FCC modernized the program to support networks capable of

providing broadband and voice services, and created the Connect America Fund to efficiently and

effectively administer that support to expand broadband in rural areas where market forces alone

can't support expansion.

Over the next six years, Phase II of Connect America will provide more than $9 billion to expand

broadband-capable networks throughout rural America nationwide, all without increasing the cost

of the program to ratepayers. Overall, the FCC's Universal Service Fund allocates $4.5 billion

annually through various universal service programs for high-cost areas to support voice- and

broadband-capable networks in rural America.

Carriers receiving Connect America Fund support must build out broadband to 40 percent of

funded locations by the end 2017, 60 percent by the end of 2018, 80 percent by the end of 2019,

and 100 percent by the end of 2020.

###

Office of Media Relations: (202) 418-0500

TTY: (888) 835-5322

Twitter: @FCC

www.fcc.gov/office-media-relations

This is an unofficial announcement of Commission action. Release of the full text of a Commission order

constitutes official action. See MCI v. FCC, 515 F.2d 385 (D.C. Cir. 1974).

LINK:	http://www.fcc.gov/document/consolidated-accepts-14-m-connect-america-...
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