TNBA member receives $3 million grant for fiber project

WK&T Telecommunications was recently awarded a $3 million grant to boost broadband construction in parts of rural Tennessee.

The Community-Oriented Connectivity Broadband Grant, administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Utilities Service, will help WK&T build gigabit broadband service to 406 unserved homes in the Dukedom area of Weakley County. The grant will also be used to create a community center to provide residents free access to computers and Wi-Fi.

Trevor Bonnstetter, CEO of WK&T, says the expansion of broadband and related services will benefit the economy, health care, education and the overall quality of life for local residents.

For the past two years, WK&T has worked closely with the Weakley County mayor’s office, as well as the communities of Martin and Dresden, to identify ways for WK&T to expand its gig fiber network into parts of Weakley County. “With this announcement, we are one step closer to having broadband access to all citizens, regardless of where they live,” Weakley County Mayor Jake Bynum says. “I appreciate the leadership WK&T has brought to this process and look forward to Weakley County government’s continued support and partnership in this endeavor.”

For more information about WK&T and the fiber project, visit the WK&T website.