JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Director of Government Affairs for CenturyLink Doug Galloway announced on Twitter Wednesday morning the company will be expanding FCC standard broadband internet for rural areas in Missouri. Galloway says that the company will bring higher internet speeds to an estimated 61,000 homes in Missouri. CenturyLink has yet to make a formal press release announcing their initiative.
.@CenturyLink will expand FCC standard broadband & higher speeds to 61K+ rural homes in MO by Dec. 2017. @chrischinn pic.twitter.com/rGj5ZdO8Cd
— Doug Galloway (@douggalloway) September 6, 2017
Broadband, defined by the FCC as being faster than 25 mbps, is available to less than 80% of Missouri according to Broadband Now.
Gov. Eric Greitens announced a plan in April that would expand broadband internet to homes and schools in rural areas. His April plan involved $6 million state funds and $39 million federal funds. To reach his goals, Greitens announced a partnership with EducationSuperHighway, a San Francisco nonprofit. His project would address more than 100 Missouri school districts without quality internet.
Missouri ranks 42nd in connectivity as a state, a ranking set by access to 25 mbps or more internet.
Michael Layer is a reporter for the Missouri Times and the Missouri Times Magazine. He joined the Missouri Times in August 2017 after graduating from Goucher College the previous May. To contact Michael, email michael@themissouritimes.com or follow him on Twitter @_MichaelLayer
