[1st-mile-nm] USDA Rural Broadband Loans: Penasco Valley Telephone Coop

[Richard Lowenberg]

USDA Rural Broadband Loans

www.usda.gov/wps/portal/!ut/p/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB?contentidonly=true&contentid=2008/09/0238.xml

USDA ANNOUNCES $342 MILLION IN RURAL BROADBAND, TELECOMMUNICATIONS LOANS

New Mexico?s Penasco Valley Telephone Cooperative to receive $28,438,000

WASHINGTON, September 24, 2008 - Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer today
announced that broadband and telecommunications loans totaling more than $342
million are being awarded to 18 communications firms serving 22 states. The
funds will help bring new and improved telecommunications services to rural
residents and businesses.

"Providing state-of-the-art communications services in rural areas promotes
business development, increases job opportunities and improves access to
educational services," Schafer said. "The funding announced today will provide
more rural Americans with high-quality, affordable broadband services."

The loans are being made through the Rural Development Broadband Loan and Loan
Guarantee Program, which provides low-interest loans to deploy broadband and
telecommunications services to rural communities of 20,000 residents or less,
with first priority going to areas without broadband. Rural Development is also
providing funding through the Telecommunications Infrastructure Loan Program,
which makes loans to local firms working to provide both voice and broadband
services in areas with 5,000 or fewer citizens.


-- 
Richard Lowenberg
1st-Mile Institute
P.O. Box 8001, Santa Fe, NM 87504
505-989-9110;   505-603-5200 cell
rl at 1st-mile.com  www.1st-mile.com

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