Dukedom, Tenn.–West Kentucky and Tennessee Telecommunications will receive a $3 million grant to construct a 1 gigabit per second-capable broadband network that will be accessible by more than 406 unserved homes and businesses in Weakley County.
The grant will serve the areas outside the community of Dukedom, Tennessee.
“We’ve been working with Weakley County officials to develop ways we can expand much-needed broadband service in the rural areas,” said WK&T CEO Trevor Bonnstetter. “This grant gives us that opportunity to extend service further in Weakley County. It will make a significant impact on the lives of these residents.”
For over two years, WK&T has worked closely with the Weakley County mayor’s office, as well as the communities of Martin and Dresden, to identify ways for WK&T to expand its gig capable fiber network into parts of Weakley County.
“With this announcement, we are one step closer to having broadband access to all citizens regardless of where they live,” Weakley County Mayor Jake Bynum said. “I am proud of the leadership that WK&T brought to this process, and I look forward to Weakley County government’s continued support and partnership in this endeavor.”
WK&T, which will contribute $450,000 to the fiber-to-the-home project, was chosen from 124 applications for the Community-Oriented Connectivity Broadband Grant Program administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Utilities Service. The grant is competitive and includes a lengthy application process. As part of the grant, a new community center will be established to give residents free access to computer terminals and Wi-Fi. This project will allow the residents and businesses to access high-quality voice, video and broadband services, which will benefit the economy, health care, education and overall quality of life.
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