Cumberland County To Receive Over $26 Million To Improve Broadband Access In Rural Areas

In an interview this week with John Pirsos of WVLT, Cumberland County Mayor Allen Foster said the county is set to receive an additional $26.5 million in grant funding from the state to improve broadband access throughout the county. Local cooperatives will match part of the money, bringing the total to $44 million.  The cost to run broadband cables is an estimated $25,000 per mile. Since 2020, Cumberland County has received several similar grants from the state, but this is by far the largest. Mayor Foster told the news outlet that his constituents who live in rural areas are excited about getting faster internet. “Four years ago, people didn’t even see it as a possibility, and now they see, hey it’s coming,” the mayor said. Tennessee is investing almost $447 million to expand broadband access to rural communities across the state.