Broadband collaboration project to begin

Posted

SIREPA, Danville Telecom, Lee County EDG and county partner to bring improvements

BY PCC STAFF

LEE COUNTY - Danville Mutual Telephone Company (DMTC) and Southeast Iowa Regional Economic and Port Authority (SIREPA) are pleased to announce the commencement of a $5.4 million broadband investment in Lee County, Iowa.

The investment will complete 120 new fiber-to-the-customer services and a 57-mile fiberoptic backbone that will provide backhaul and redundant fiber transmission to the 120 services and future expansion opportunities.

The partnership is made possible through a $1.9 million contribution by Lee County via ARPA funds to the project through SIREPA, a $3.5 million grant secured by DMTC through the State of Iowa OCIO, and planning funds provided by Lee County Economic Development Group.

Upon completion SIREPA will own the fiber backbone and lease to DMTC for operation, while DMTC will own and operate the 120 fiber-to-the-customer services.

Together the funding sources make a generational investment into the immediate and longer-term future of Lee County broadband access and resiliency.

“Partnerships between private and public entities made this project possible and set the stage for future broadband investments in Lee County”, said Tim Fencl, General Manager and CEO of DMTC.

Denise Boyer, SIREPA board chair, saidd “SIREPA was formed to connect private and public resources to make these kinds of investments possible, and there’s more to come”.

broadband project, Danville Telecom, Internet, lee county economic development group, Lee County EDG, news, Pen City Current, Southeast Iowa Regional & Economic Port Authority

Comments

No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here