(Sioux Center)– A northwest Iowa internet service provider has been awarded a federal grant.
It was announced Friday Premier Communications of Sioux Center was awarded $7 million through the U.S. Department of Agriculture to expand broadband internet to rural areas of northwest Iowa and southeast South Dakota.
Iowa U-S-D-A Rural Development Director Grant Mienke says the project will directly benefit rural businesses and communities where broadband internet service is currently not available.
U-S-D-A Under Secretary Bill Northey, a Spirit Lake native, likens the importance of expanding broadband internet service to rural areas to the electrification of rural America and the introduction of telephone service. He says Congress set aside $600 million for the installation of broadband internet service in rural areas, adding this is the first such grant to be awarded in Iowa.
