TNECD Names Broadband Grant Recipients

Posted: September 14, 2022

TNECD names broadband grant recipients

More than $212 million awarded to bring fiber broadband to underserved areas

NASHVILLE, Tennessee – Tennessee Broadband Association member companies have been awarded broadband grants by the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development.

TNECD grants help internet service providers expand fiber broadband access to areas that are unserved and underserved. The 112th Tennessee General Assembly approved Gov. Bill Lee’s $500 million budget for broadband infrastructure and adoption, and in this round of grant funding, TNECD has allocated approximately $450 million through its Tennessee Emergency Broadband Fund – American Recovery Plan.

“This is fantastic news,” sad TNBA Executive Director Carrie Huckeby. “Our mission is connecting Tennessee, and without the help of grant funding from TNECD, that would not be possible. We are grateful so many of our members have received this funding.”

TNBA members applied for funding to assist with over $300 million dollars of fiber infrastructure, which would fund up to 70% of the projects.

TNBA grant recipients include:

  • Ardmore Telephone Company
  • $3,331,275 — Lincoln County
  • $8,114,890 — Giles County
  • Ben Lomand Connect
    • $1,422,272 — Coffee County
    • $22,490,360 — Cumberland County
  • BTC Fiber
    • $6,937,120 — Sequatchie County
    • $1,568,223 — Van Buren County
    • $9,224,471 — Bledsoe County
  • BTC Communications LLC
    • $977,415 — Rhea County
    • $4,089,103 — South Cumberland County
  • DTC Communications
    • $15,627,524 — Cannon and Dekalb Counties
  • Highland Communications
    • $15,481,719 — Powell Valley
  • Loretto Telecom
    • $7,466,068 — Lawrence County
  • Ritter Communications
    • $3,892,323 — Shelby Forest
  • SCTC
    • $13,128,551 — East TN Broadband Initiative
  • SkyBest Communications
    • $3,909,799 — Carter County
    • $1,790,856 — Johnson County
  • TDS/Tellico Telephone Company
    • $12,958,999 — Monroe County
  • TEC/Erin/Peoples Telephone Company
    • $4,307,779 — Henry County
  • Twin Lakes
    • $10,432,621 — Putnam County
  • United Communications
    • $7,346,926 — Giles County
    • $1,822,335 — Lincoln County
    • $4,341,771 — Bedford County
    • $13,110,423 — Williamson County
    • $9,735,714 — ILEC
    • $17,004,978 — Maury County
  • WK&T
    • $12,326,355 — Weakley County

“Our members are working hard every day to bridge the digital divide so Tennesseans have access to fast, reliable fiber broadband,” TNBA President Jason Shelton said. “Having our members named grant recipients is ensuring we are moving forward, closing the digital gap, and connecting Tennesseans to broadband.

“These grants are evidence of the confidence TNECD has in our member companies to connect Tennesseans.”