Steve Mehs
01-31-03, 03:48 AM
Rural interests are praising the Agriculture Department's effort to bring farmers, rural residents and businesses access to improved telecommunications technology through $1.4 billion in loans and loan guarantees aimed at rural telecommunications providers.
The program money approved this week is coming through the department's Rural Utilities Service (RUS). In addition, Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman said President Bush will propose spending $196 million for the program in the fiscal year 2004 budget.
The National Rural Telecommunications Cooperative, which has been promoting approval of the RUS loan guarantees, praised the funding work. "We feel that RUS's commitment to bring broadband service to rural America is an exciting step forward," said NRTC President and CEO Bob Phillips.
"RUS has a long tradition of making basic electric and telephone service possible in rural areas," Phillips said. "As we have often told RUS officials, NRTC strongly believes that satellite broadband services will play a critical role in achieving their important objective."
National Telecommunications Cooperative Association CEO Michael E. Brunner said the government action "provides much needed capital in a time of reduced access to private sector lending and transitioning the stability of revenue streams of rural telcos."
From SkyReport (http://www.skyreport.com/skyreport/jan2003/013103.shtm#one) (Used with Permission)
The program money approved this week is coming through the department's Rural Utilities Service (RUS). In addition, Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman said President Bush will propose spending $196 million for the program in the fiscal year 2004 budget.
The National Rural Telecommunications Cooperative, which has been promoting approval of the RUS loan guarantees, praised the funding work. "We feel that RUS's commitment to bring broadband service to rural America is an exciting step forward," said NRTC President and CEO Bob Phillips.
"RUS has a long tradition of making basic electric and telephone service possible in rural areas," Phillips said. "As we have often told RUS officials, NRTC strongly believes that satellite broadband services will play a critical role in achieving their important objective."
National Telecommunications Cooperative Association CEO Michael E. Brunner said the government action "provides much needed capital in a time of reduced access to private sector lending and transitioning the stability of revenue streams of rural telcos."
From SkyReport (http://www.skyreport.com/skyreport/jan2003/013103.shtm#one) (Used with Permission)