More than 7,000 rural residents in a remote area of Arizona will soon be connected to the world at large thanks to Recovery Act support from USDA Rural Development.
The funds, provided through USDA’s Broadband Initiatives Program, will be used to run fiber optics from Holbrook (located west of the Petrified Forest National Park) to Jeddito, Arizona, bringing broadband to the Hopi Tribe and portions of the Navajo Nation, as well as other communities.
At a recent community get-together, with more than 100 people in attendance, Hopi Telecommunications (HTI) representatives spoke about the potential benefits from the new fiber optics. Utility General Manager Carroll Onsae said that the new system will allow HTI to provide services such as telemedicine and distance learning that require a higher bandwidth.
The project will bring broadband to such Hopi entities as the Hopi Cultural Center, the Health Care Center, police, courts, schools and Tribal offices. The Navajo community of Jeddito will also be served.
To find out how USDA’s telecommunications programs can be used to provide improved services to your community, click here.