Bradford, Tennessee— TEC, a leading provider of rural broadband, is pleased to be the recipient of a matching grant in North Carroll County and McLemoresville from the USDA ReConnect Program. TEC will provide access to Fast Fiber Internet with speeds up to 1 Gig and additional voice options. The total cost for this project will be $3,995,835. TEC has been awarded $2,709,600 in grant funding and will provide a cash match of $1,286,235.
Joey Garner “We are honored to receive this award from the USDA ReConnect Program. This grant assists TEC in our commitment to improving the communities we serve, bringing increased fiber internet options to rural Tennessee. We look forward to beginning construction and getting more people connected,” states Joey Garner, Executive Vice President of TEC.
This project will cover 38 square miles and provide TEC Fast Fiber Internet to over 600 rural households, businesses, and farms. TEC has been serving internet in Houston and Henry counties for twenty-five years and is eager to expand further into Carroll County.
Fiber optic broadband is a future-proof technology that increases property values and improves the quality of life. Fiber broadband means better access to health care through telemedicine, more educational opportunities through distance learning, increased opportunities for economic development, and of course, a better video streaming and gaming experience. The potential is unlimited.
“We are excited to join in the celebration with TEC and the USDA on today's wonderful announcement! More importantly, we are very grateful to both TEC and the USDA for their continued investment in Carroll County,” said Joseph Butler, Carroll County Mayor. “A top priority of Carroll County leadership is broadband expansion, especially to the more rural parts of our great county. As today shows, TEC shares in that goal in Carroll County, creatively and aggressively working to help us address this critical need. We are excited about the opportunity to continue to work closely with TEC in the future. I would like to personally thank my friends Jim Tracy, TN State Director - USDA RD, and Lisa Wigington, VP of Strategic Operations - TEC, for their dedicated efforts in helping us build a brighter, prosperous future for Carroll County.”
TEC has been providing telecom services to rural America for nearly a century, and they were the first to bring internet options to its rural markets over 20 years ago. TEC provides economic stability to their local service areas, employing over 200 people across Alabama, Mississippi, and Tennessee. Currently, TEC has invested in and maintains approximately 3,700 miles of copper and over 1,300 miles of fiber in its rural markets.