USDA INVESTING $9 MILLION IN SCOTT COUNTY FOR BROADBAND INTERNET

The United States Department of Agriculture is investing $9 million in broadband internet in Scott County. The millions of dollars that will increase e-connectivity and will benefit thousands of households in Rural Virginia through the USDA's "Reconnect Program." The partnership will be between the USDA and the Scott County Telephone Cooperative and will finish up fiber in Scott County. The USDA reports that broadband internet is even more important now, as it a necessity in the 21st century. A study by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) reports that nearly one-fourth of the rural population in America lack access to fixed broadband services, which is roughly 14.5 million people. Construction for aerial fiber placement will start on January 1, 2021 and is expected to be completed by the end of 2024. 

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