Luttrell announces broadband grants

OKLAHOMA CITY- Rep. Ken Luttrell, R-Ponca City, announced today that Osage County will receive five grants totaling $21.36 million to connect 3,375 homes and businesses to high-speed fiber optic Internet service.

The latest data from the FCC shows that only 64% of homes and businesses in Osage County currently have access to high-speed internet. Once these projects are completed, this percentage will reach more than 78%.

“Access to high-speed Internet service is critical to the success of our students and businesses today and tomorrow,” Luttrell said. “Serving our rural areas is a challenge that many constituents and communities have spoken to me about. What we are doing is a game changer for Oklahoma.

These awards are part of the $374 million ARPA State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund (SLFRF) that the Legislature appropriated for the Broadband Office. ARPA SLFRF is the first of three federal grant programs the office will administer to expand broadband infrastructure across the state. The remaining two programs will provide more than $900 million in additional funding.

Osage County providers include:

• CoxCom, LLC $4,944,454. Locations 2,048
• Totah Communications $382,317. Locations 28
• AT&T Oklahoma $5,795,812 Locations 581
• Indian Electric Cooperative $6,444,229. Locations 251
• AT&T Oklahoma $3,793,049.73 Locations 467

Totaling $21,359,861.

Luttrell represents District 37, Kay and Osage counties.