KCTC recently was awarded $1,948,880.88 to cover 35% of the cost of providing fiber optic broadband service to a rural area between Riverside and Washington.

Over 300 households will be able to connect to a future-proof fiber network as this project is completed over the next five years. This grant is provided by the State of Iowa as part of Governor Kin Reynolds “Empower Rural Iowa Broadband Grant Program”, which recently awarded $4,959,000 to expand broadband service across the state.

KCTC General Manager Casey Peck notes that “Customers in this area have been struggling to work from home, learn from home, and do business from home with internet speeds that are simply inadequate for current demands, with no hope of seeing any improvement in the situation, while the need for bandwidth continues to increase as remote meetings, streaming, and telehealth applications become more and more a part of everyday life. We are excited to be able to serve new customers with the same advanced service that we have been providing to the Kalona area for over 115 years.”

This project was supported by funds made available through the State of Iowa, acting by and through the Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO). Points of view expressed herein are those of the author or speaker and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the State of Iowa or endorsement of the project.