ARPA – American Rescue Plan Act

Press Release

ETC Awarded 4 Broadband Projects Totaling $33 Million

ELLIJAY, Ga., Feb. 1, 2022 – Governor Brian P. Kemp and House Speaker David Ralston (R-Blue Ridge) joined by members of the Broadband Infrastructure Committee and state leaders, today announced almost $408 million in preliminary awards which will provide communities, households, and businesses in 70 Georgia counties access to faster and more reliable broadband. 49 American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) grant projects were awarded of which the ETC was awarded 4.

Each broadband project is seeking to:

• Reduce the number of unserved broadband locations in our served county
• Build fiber-optic broadband network capable of symmetrical 2Gbps download and 2Gbps upload service
• Share and promote our fiber broadband infrastructure benefits to visitors, prospective residents and industries

1. Cherokee County

ETC is leveraging a portion of their existing fiber network and resources, to build approximately 21 miles of high-speed fiber optics to serve 385 customers in 14 unserved census block groups.

The project was awarded $733,688 ARPA grant funds, along with matching funds of $465,850 from ETC, for a total of $1,239,538.

• Dawson County

Development Authority of Dawson County is partnering with Ellijay Telephone Company (“ETC”) and leveraging a portion of their existing fiber network and resources, to build approximately 35 miles of high-speed fiber optics to serve 563 customers in 14 unserved census block groups. The partnership with ETC allows the Development Authority of Dawson County access to, and usage of, portions of the 250 miles of middle mile fiber that ETC is building in conjunction with their partnership with Amicalola EMC.

The project was awarded $1,332,621 ARPA grant funds, along with matching funds of $675,600 from ETC, for a total of $2,008,221.

• Fannin County

The Fannin County Development Authority is partnering with Ellijay Telephone Company (“ETC”) and leveraging a portion of their existing fiber network and resources, to build approximately 80 miles of high-speed fiber optics to serve 996 customers in 71 unserved census block groups.

The project was awarded $3,013,576 ARPA grant funds, along with matching funds of $1,519,265 from ETC, for a total of $4,532,841.

• Gilmer & Pickens County

The Joint Development Authority of Gilmer and Pickens County is partnering with Ellijay Telephone Company (“ETC”) and leveraging a portion of their existing fiber network and resources, to build approximately 574 miles of high-speed fiber optics to serve 4259 customers in 334 unserved census block groups. The Joint Development Authority of Gilmer and Pickens County is also leveraging their recently announced partnership with Amicalola EMC that will provide more than 220 new miles of fiber optics across North Georgia.

The project was awarded $21,418,727 ARPA grant funds, along with matching funds of $3,996,350 from ETC, for a total of $25,415,077.

These projects should commence shortly and will be ongoing through at least 2026.