High speed internet auction includes Southwest Nebraska sites
WASHINGTON — A total of 8,900 rural Nebraska homes and small businesses will gain access to high-speed Internet service for the first time through the Federal Communications Commission’s Connect America Fund Phase II auction, the results of which were released today.
A Texas company, AMG Technology Investment Group LLC, submitted the winning bids to provide high-speed internet to 204 sites in Southwest Nebraska. It does business as Nextlink Internet.
They included 112 in Frontier County for $378,306, 33 in Furnas for $178,750, nine in Hitchcock for $68,526, and 50 in Red Willow for $368,613. Total for the state is 8,900 sites for $4.117 million.
That amount in support will be distributed over the next 10 years to expand rural broadband service in unserved areas.
Four providers won support from the Connect America Fund to expand broadband in rural areas where, absent this funding, this type of broadband expansion and ongoing service would not be economically feasible.
“The successful conclusion of this first-of-its kind auction is great news for the residents of these rural communities, who will finally be able to share in the 21st-century digital opportunities that broadband provides,” said FCC Chairman Ajit Pai.
“By tapping the mechanisms of the marketplace, the Phase II auction served as the most appropriate and cost-effective way to allocate funding for broadband in these unserved communities, bringing the highest-quality broadband services to the most consumers at the lowest cost to the ratepayer.”
Nationwide, the auction allocated $1.488 billion in support to be distributed over the next 10 years for 103 providers to expand rural broadband service in unserved areas in 45 states.