5 rural Minn. co-ops get broadband grants, loans

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is providing more than $40 million in loans and grants to help bring broadband services to rural Minnesota.

Five rural telephone cooperatives will share in the Recovery Act money. The projects will help bring broadband access to more than 13,300 households, businesses and community facilities in 11 rural Minnesota counties.

The five recipients are Woodstock Telephone Co., serving Lyon, Pipestone and Rock counties; Farmers Mutual Telephone Co. in Lac qui Parle County; Wikstrom Telephone Co. in Kittson, Marshall and Roseau counties; Arvig Telephone Co. in Cass and Crow Wing counties; and Federated Telephone Cooperative in rural Morris.

Wednesday's announcement brings the total amount of broadband Recovery Act funds awarded in Minnesota to about $60 million.

(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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