Davis Announces $7.3M in FCC Rural Broadband Grants Awarded in IL-13

Feb 14, 2020 10:22 AM

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Washington, DC -- U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis (R-Ill.) announced today that 8 counties in IL-13 are the beneficiaries of a combined $7,324,491 in Federal Communications Commission (FCC) grants to expand rural broadband. The funding will go towards connecting unserved homes and businesses.

"Expanding broadband Internet access is critical to communities across my district and the country. Access to broadband ensures individuals living in rural communities have the same educational and economic opportunities as people living in more urban areas. I applaud the FCC's investment and look forward to witnessing the expansion of rural broadband throughout the 13th District," said Davis.

Below is a complete list by county with the amount received (support) and the number of homes and businesses served (locations). The amount of support is over 10 years and the minimum download/upload speeds to be provided are 100/20 Mbps. Wisper ISP, Inc. is the company that will be doing the work.

County: Support - Locations

Bond: $206,170 - 21

Calhoun: $824,818 - 914

Greene: $746,490 - 222

Jersey: $762,362 - 176

Macoupin: $3,500,735 - 630

Madison: $333,786 - 175

Montgomery: $917,689 - 107

Sangamon: $32,441 - 7

“Today’s announcement is another important step in our efforts to close the digital divide and connect rural residents of Illinois with the economic, healthcare, and educational opportunities made possible by high-speed broadband. In my travels around the country, I’ve had the opportunity to see firsthand how funding provided through the FCC’s Connect America Fund Phase II auction is having a positive impact on rural communities. And the funding we are approving today will build on that success as we connect more rural Americans with digital opportunity," said FCC Chairman Ajit Pai.

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