The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) recently authorized more than $26 million to Illinois to expand rural broadband, action that is much appreciated by U.S. Reps. Adam Kinzinger (R-IL), John Shimkus (R-IL), Darin LaHood (R-IL), and Rodney Davis (R-IL).
The FCC in late August announced winners in its Connect America Fund Phase II auction in which 103 bidders won $1.49 billion over 10 years to provide fixed broadband and voice services to roughly 700,000 locations in 45 states. As a winning bidder, Illinois will provide such services to more than 6,700 homes and businesses around the state to help underserved rural communities and to support closing the digital divide, the lawmakers said.
“The gap in broadband services across the state of Illinois is stark and needs to be addressed,” Rep. Kinzinger said. “This additional funding announcement is great news for my constituents who live in rural areas and will help ensure these communities will have the connectivity they need to improve education, increase efficiency and innovation, and remain competitive economically.”
Rep. Shimkus pointed out that rural Americans are in dire need of such services and the scarcity of broadband access has left many communities behind.
“Two of the most important innovations the Internet has offered to constituents like mine — distance learning and telemedicine — require abundant network capacity and reliable connections,” said Rep. Shimkus. “Expanding high-speed Internet to unserved and underserved areas makes those services more widely available, and benefits communities by connecting individual families and small businesses alike.”
Rep. LaHood said that he’s “pleased to see this significant investment from the FCC, which is the second they have made since June.”
“As we work to close the digital divide between rural and urban America, this investment will provide much-needed access to high-quality broadband and improve connectivity for families around Illinois,” he added.
“This funding will help rural areas grow and thrive,” Rep. Davis said. “I hope we continue to build this and the positive improvements in the 2018 Farm Bill to achieve full connectivity in our rural communities.”