TDS receives nearly $3.9M in stimulus funds to expand broadband access in Alabama

[PRESS RELEASE]

MADISON — Today, TDS Telecommunications Corp. (TDS®) received notification from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) that its application to expand broadband Internet services to TDS customers in the Grove Hill, Ala. area has been approved. TDS will receive $3,892,919 to expand its services within Clarke County.

“We’ve been anticipating additional market announcements. We are pleased our application for Alabama is being funded and look forward to expanding broadband services in our serving area,” says Dave Wittwer, president and CEO for TDS. “This project will help to grow the local economy and delight our rural Alabama customers, who are the true beneficiaries of today’s announcement.”

Earlier today, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the selection of fourteen Recovery Act Broadband Infrastructure projects that will receive $309,923,352 through funding made available by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. An additional $3,551,887 in private investment brings the total to $313,475,239. Altogether, Congress awarded USDA $2.5 billion in Recovery Act funding to help bring broadband services to rural un-served and underserved communities.

In total, TDS applied for 13 grants in nine states; received positive notification for one grant in Chatham, Mich. in Dec. 2009 and is optimistic its remaining 11 applications in Arizona, Colorado, Kentucky, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, and Oregon, will also be fully funded.

TDS is experienced at providing rural areas with broadband. In fact, more than 93 percent of its customers (in 30 states) already have access to high-speed Internet services. TDS is intent on connecting its remaining customers with broadband connectivity and federal stimulus funds will assist in closing that gap.

“Certainly this project in Alabama exemplifies the need for high-speed Internet connections in rural America,” says Andrew Petersen, director of external affairs and communications for TDS. “TDS is delighted to receive the $3.9 million award and looks forward to beginning construction to expand Internet services to more customers in southwestern Alabama.”