USDA rural broadband investment tops $200 million in 2018
Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced plans "for a pilot program to bring broadband internet to all of rural America." The plan "will provide $600 million in grants and loans to internet service providers to bring connection to parts of the country that are too remote, underpopulated or expensive to service." While most of the projects will bring internet connection to paying customers at homes or businesses, "19 proposals have laid out plans to build community centers where residents could access the internet free of charge," which Secretary Perdue acknowledged was necessary when he announced the pilot program.