GRM Networks received a $15.7 million grant from the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) ReConnect Program. This award will help GRM Networks fulfill its commitment to bring fiber optic connectivity to northern Missouri and southern Iowa.
“GRM Networks is excited to be the recipient of this USDA grant,” said Mitchell Bailey, CEO of GRM Networks. “The awarding of these funds will allow us to fulfill our pledge to bring fiber-to-the-premise (FTTP) technology to all our customers. Upon completion of this fiber build by 2025, GRM Networks will be 100 percent fiber, providing all our customers access to fiber broadband internet.”
GRM Networks will use this grant to complete FTTP construction to the Missouri exchanges of Barnard, Brimson, Darlington, Jamesport, Mt. Moriah, and Washington Center. This project will provide customers with broadband internet speeds up to 1 gigabit per second. “Access to quality broadband services is a key ingredient for economic development in rural areas,” said Bailey. “Fiber broadband is critical in creating greater opportunities for education, precision agriculture, telehealth and working from home.”
The USDA ReConnect program partners with telecommunications providers such as GRM Networks to bring rural areas an improved quality of life through access to internet based services.