USDA Rural Field Office Installer in Pacific Rim
USDA Rural
Development continues to provide many
programs for financing rural America's
telecommunications infrastructure. The
Traditional Telephone Loan program consists
of hardship, cost of money, and guaranteed
loans that finance voice telephone service.
Since 1995, every telephone line this
program has constructed has also been
capable of providing broadband service using
digital subscriber loop (DSL) technology.
The Broadband Access Loan program provides loans for funding the costs of construction, improvement, and acquisition of facilities to provide broadband service to eligible rural communities. The Distance Learning and Telemedicine program continues its charge of bringing electronic educational resources to rural schools and improving health care delivery in rural America. Lastly, the Community Connect Grant program provides financial assistance to eligible applicants that will provide currently unserved areas with broadband service that fosters economic growth and public safety services.
Based on a survey of Rural Development's traditional telephone loan program borrowers conducted in October 2006, approximately 92% of these borrowers are providing high-speed Internet service ("broadband") to all of the telephone exchanges in their service territories.
The Broadband Access Loan program provides loans for funding the costs of construction, improvement, and acquisition of facilities to provide broadband service to eligible rural communities. The Distance Learning and Telemedicine program continues its charge of bringing electronic educational resources to rural schools and improving health care delivery in rural America. Lastly, the Community Connect Grant program provides financial assistance to eligible applicants that will provide currently unserved areas with broadband service that fosters economic growth and public safety services.
Based on a survey of Rural Development's traditional telephone loan program borrowers conducted in October 2006, approximately 92% of these borrowers are providing high-speed Internet service ("broadband") to all of the telephone exchanges in their service territories.
To learn more
about the history of REA and RUS, click on
the corresponding links below.
What is the Rural
Electrification Act?
What is
the Rural
Utility Service
