Oklahoma City, Okla. (Oct. 26, 2021) – Hilliary Communications announced today that it will be investing more than $45 million in rural America to expand affordable, high-powered fiber optic internet where traditional bank loans and infrastructure programs are not readily available. The area of greatest impact will be in southern Oklahoma beginning in the Lawton region and stretching as far east as Talihina.
Hilliary Communications will invest $12.5 million in private funds to match the $32.7 million in federal funds awarded to Hilliary Communications’ regional companies by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) on August 11.
“The USDA continues to award our commitment to excellence in building out and deploying rural broadband services,” said Dustin Hilliary, Managing Partner Hilliary Communications. “We are passionate about delivering the best service in these hard-to-reach areas because our company is comprised of a workforce committed to elevating opportunities and improving the quality of life for communities in rural America. We appreciate the State and the Congressional Delegation for making this a priority for advancing Oklahoma.”
“Oklahoma’s Second District is the only congressional district in the country where broadband is available to less than half the population,” said Congressman Markwayne Mullin (CD-2). “Our rural communities are too often left without the services they need due to lack of connectivity. I am glad to see these federal grants awarded to Oklahoma, and I applaud companies like Hilliary Communications for the work they do to expand internet access in these communities and help close the digital divide.”
“Our state has made great strides in moving Oklahoma’s ranking in broadband access from 47 to 35 in just three years,” said Gov. Kevin Stitt. “It takes all of use working together to continue to make this progress, and I applaud Hilliary Communications for always being on the front lines of competing and bringing to Oklahoma resources to advance our shared Top Ten mission.”
The USDA grants awarded to Hilliary Communications’ companies are as follows:
|
Company |
Cities Impacted |
# Homes Served |
# Businesses Serviced |
# Core Services Supported |
# Farms or Ranches |
|
Oklahoma Western Telephone Company Grant Award: $23,344,336
|
Areas around Fanshawe, Red Oak, Talihina and Wilburton, Oklahoma
|
947 |
17 |
1 educational facility 2 community facilities |
301 |
|
Texhoma Fiber LLC Grant Award: $2,648,931 |
Talihina, Oklahoma |
353 |
60 |
3 educational facilities 2 community facilities 2 health care facilities |
1 |
|
Southern Plains Cable LLC Grant Award: $2,228,689
|
Velma & Ratliff City, Oklahoma |
123 |
5 |
1 community facility |
7 |
|
Tatum Telephone Company Grant Award: $4,488,894 |
Tatum, Texas |
986 |
67 |
3 educational facilities 2 community facilities 1 health care facility |
60 |
Deployment on each of these infrastructure projects will begin in late 2021, with completion varying between two to three years. Impacted customers can learn more about the timeline in their regions by contacting their local Hilliary Communications service provider.
Hilliary Communications represented nearly a quarter of the federal grants awarded nationwide under USDA’s ReConnect program on August 11. More information can be found on those grants by clicking here.
About Hilliary Communications
Hilliary Communications delivers the latest cutting-edge communications services supporting tens of thousands of customers across 22 counties throughout Oklahoma, Texas and Iowa. The company offers internet, voice and HilliaryTV. Hilliary Communications continuously researches the marketplace for innovations and strives to improve underserved areas, offering services that exceed customer expectations.