Navajo County Information Technology Director Ken Dewitt provided an update of broadband for rural Arizona during the April 24 Holbrook City Council meeting.
In April, the Navajo-Gila County Information Technology Education Consortium, which consists of 51 schools and libraries, accepted the bid from Red Rock Technologies to install more than 1,000 miles of fiber for a little under $61 million. The State of Arizona has agreed to fund their portion of the project for $5.1 million.
Now, the consortium is waiting for Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) to give notice of funding. The Federal Communications Commission designated the USAC to administer the $10 billion Universal Service Fund to provide money for Internet and connectivity where needs are acute.
“The earliest we can get funding will be July 1, but it could take until December,” said Dewitt, who further noted, “The schools and libraries in Navajo and Gila counties will become anchor points in our communities. Red Rock said they are going to put in 10-gig connections for these points. They also have agreed that they will run additional fibers to expand to the communities, creating a broadband network that extends beyond the schools and libraries, aiding in economic development for rural communities. At this point it is a waiting game, but things are moving forward and hopefully it will change our environment.”
