(Indianapolis, IN) – Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch and the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs (OCRA) have announced 152 addresses around the state will gain access to high-speed broadband as a result of $657,886 awarded in the ninth round of the Indiana Connectivity Program.
The initiative helps Hoosier residents and business owners, often in rural areas, obtain access to reliable broadband by assisting internet providers with the expense of extending its services to underserved locations of Indiana.
One hundred and forty-six of the addresses funded in the program’s ninth round are households and six are businesses.
Locally, SEI Communications is one of the recipients and was awarded $100,800 to expand broadband to 21 addresses – 11 of which are in Ripley County.
“In today’s world, having access to reliable broadband is needed to work, learn, connect, receive telehealth care and more,” said OCRA Executive Director Duke Bennett. “However, many rural Hoosiers are lacking adequate service, which makes this program so essential. Thanks to the Indiana Connectivity Program, these 152 homes and businesses will soon have access to high-speed internet service.”
The program accepts addresses on a rolling basis. Hoosiers and business owners lacking internet connectivity can communicate their interest by entering their address and information into the Next Level Connections portal at in.gov/ocra/broadband. Submitting location information into the portal does not guarantee extension of service.
SEI Communications and the other broadband providers must complete their projects within nine months of the contract date.
For more information, visit in.gov/ocra/broadband/icp.
