Governor Pete Ricketts has announced the award of more than $29.5 million in funding under the Remote Access Rural Broadband Grant program, administered by the Nebraska Department of Economic Development (DED).
“These grants will lead to better broadband service in many areas of the state that are currently underserved,” said Gov. Ricketts. “The enhanced service will equip more of our rural communities with the technology needed to conduct business online, make virtual health visits, and engage in distance learning opportunities.”
The Broadband program was one of four grants designed and administered by DED this year to support the state’s economic recovery in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
“COVID-19 has underscored the need for a more concentrated, collaborative effort to improve our state’s broadband infrastructure,” said DED Director Anthony L. Goins. “This grant is an important first step toward ensuring all citizens of Nebraska have the opportunity to participate in the digital economy.”
The Broadband grant opportunity—made possible by federal CARES Act funding, including $1.08 billion of Coronavirus Relief funds allocated to the State of Nebraska—was announced by DED last spring. The grants target areas of the state where high-speed internet service is nonexistent or subpar based on the FCC standard of 25/3 Mbps download/upload speeds.
When all projects are completed, a minimum of 17,600 housing units will gain the ability to subscribe to broadband internet service. Most of the projects being awarded are scheduled for completion by the end of the year, with controls in place to ensure agreements are executed as planned in a timely manner.
The recipients of the Rural Broadband Remote Access Grants are listed below:
2020 Remote Access Rural Broadband Recipients
RDOF = Rural Digital Opportunity Fund
Units Approved = Minimum housing units newly capable of subscribing to broadband following project completion.
| Awardee |
Project Area |
Grant Amount |
Units Approved |
| ATC Communications | Arapahoe | $512,000 | 169 |
| Bluestem Network LLC | Pleasant Dale (Rural RDOF Area) | $658,965 | 223 |
| Charter Communications, Inc. | Brule | $141,400 | 186 |
| Consolidated Telephone Company, Inc. | Dunning (Rural) | $39,694 | 12 |
| Consolidated Telephone Company, Inc. | Hyannis (Rural) | $151,734 | 25 |
| Consolidated Telephone Company, Inc. | Seneca (Rural) | $151,145 | 19 |
| Country Mile Wireless, Inc | Cedar Creek | $89,439 | 100 |
| Country Mile Wireless, Inc | Cedar Creek (Rural RDOF Area) | $138,605 | 100 |
| Diode Communications | Beatrice (Pioneer Acres) | $117,000 | 26 |
| Diode Communications | Beatrice (Rural Southwest RDOF Area) | $756,000 | 90 |
| Diode Communications | Holmesville | $130,786 | 31 |
| USA Communications, LLC | Atkinson | $580,798 | 638 |
| USA Communications, LLC | Buffalo County (Block Group 1 – RDOF Area) | $1,441,000 | 400 |
| USA Communications, LLC | Buffalo County (Block Group 4 – RDOF Area) | $400,720 | 116 |
| USA Communications, LLC | Elwood | $281,206 | 361 |
| USA Communications, LLC | Kearney (Antelope Ridge Development) | $173,410 | 89 |
| Glenwood Telecommunications, Inc. | Franklin | $724,500 | 483 |
| Glenwood Telecommunications, Inc. | Franklin (RDOF Area) | $554,657 | 128 |
| Glenwood Telecommunications, Inc. | Guide Rock | $403,443 | 28 |
| Great Plains Communications | Callaway | $650,753 | 384 |
| Great Plains Communications | Creighton | $1,707,081 | 748 |
| Great Plains Communications | Deshler | $744,641 | 475 |
| Great Plains Communications | Gordon | $1,507,733 | 1,009 |
| Great Plains Communications | North Bend | $1,142,709 | 768 |
| Great Plains Communications | Red Cloud | $2,018,372 | 796 |
| Great Plains Communications | Sutherland | $1,134,424 | 608 |
| Hamilton Telecommunications | Merrick County | $687,500 | 250 |
| Infinity 8 Broadband | Rural Hickman | $147,279 | 68 |
| Inventive Wireless of Nebraska, LLC dba Vistabeam | Banner County | $183,248 | 125 |
| Inventive Wireless of Nebraska, LLC dba Vistabeam | Chase County | $207,885 | 225 |
| Inventive Wireless of Nebraska, LLC dba Vistabeam | Cheyenne County | $228,044 | 140 |
| Inventive Wireless of Nebraska, LLC dba Vistabeam | Deuel County | $131,178 | 200 |
| Inventive Wireless of Nebraska, LLC dba Vistabeam | Garden County | $195,613 | 200 |
| Inventive Wireless of Nebraska, LLC dba Vistabeam | Kimball County | $168,316 | 180 |
| Inventive Wireless of Nebraska, LLC dba Vistabeam | Morrill County | $147,245 | 125 |
| Inventive Wireless of Nebraska, LLC dba Vistabeam | Perkins County | $198,229 | 225 |
| Inventive Wireless of Nebraska, LLC dba Vistabeam | Scotts Bluff County | $396,563 | 450 |
| Media King Communications | Macy | $115,954 | 230 |
| Mobius Communications Company | Alliance (Westside Event Center) | $52,800 | 4 |
| Mobius Communications Company | Alliance Airport | $122,720 | 26 |
| Mobius Communications Company | Box Butte (RDOF Area) | $308,000 | 22 |
| Mobius Communications Company | Box Butte County | $272,000 | 23 |
| Mobius Communications Company | Dawes County (RDOF Area) | $320,000 | 26 |
| NE Colorado Cellular, Inc. | Champion | $639,794 | 50 |
| Pinpoint Communications Inc. | Alma | $672,760 | 700 |
| Pinpoint Communications Inc. | Alma (Rural RDOF Area) | $216,592 | 143 |
| Pinpoint Communications Inc. | Beaver City | $395,758 | 435 |
| Pinpoint Communications Inc. | Beaver City (Rural RDOF Area) | $355,008 | 132 |
| Pinpoint Communications Inc. | Orleans (Rural RDOF Area) | $238,896 | 159 |
| Pinpoint Communications Inc. | Republican City | $271,520 | 227 |
| Pinpoint Communications Inc. | Republican City (Rural RDOF Area) | $261,664 | 256 |
| Skywave Wireless, Inc. | Tri-County (Cuming, Dodge, Burt) | $531,397 | 543 |
| Spiral Communications | Union (Lake Waconda) | $34,536 | 220 |
| Three River Telco | Ainsworth | $408,500 | 1,120 |
| Three River Telco | O’Neill | $350,000 | 2,073 |
| Windstream Nebraska, Inc. | Rural Ashland | $1,275,499 | 345 |
| Windstream Nebraska, Inc. | Rural Garrison | $802,295 | 38 |
| Windstream Nebraska, Inc. | Rural Geneva | $880,752 | 244 |
| Windstream Nebraska, Inc. | Rural Hebron | $650,957 | 145 |
| Windstream Nebraska, Inc. | Rural Louisville | $1,307,901 | 239 |
|
Total |
$29,528,620 |
17,600 |
Visit opportunity.nebraska.gov and getnebraskagrowing.nebraska.gov/broadband-grant for more info. To learn more about how Nebraska’s federal Coronavirus Relief funds are being used, visit coronavirus.nebraska.gov/relief-fund.
