RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - Telecommunications companies in Ohio and 15 other states are sharing more than 103 million dollars in federal funding to help expand broadband Internet access to rural America.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced the grants and loans through its rural development office Monday. Rural Utilities Service Administrator Jonathan Adelstein said in a conference call that rural areas lag behind urban parts of the country when it comes to broadband Internet access. That's because those areas don't have enough people, have rugged terrain, or it's too costly for companies to serve them.
Adelstein says that access is important to improve economic and educational opportunities in those areas.