An investment of $4.4 million for high-speed broadband infrastructure in Gilmer County has been approved by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development program.
This will support the construction of 90 miles of fiber-optic infrastructure in the Northeast Georgia county, according to a USDA news release.
The service area includes 2,159 households, 25 pre-subscribed businesses, two "critical" community facilities, an educational facility and 24 pre-subscribed farms, including 22 poultry farms. This investment will strengthen the poultry industry in north Georgia, according to the announcement, and is part of the first round of USDA’s ReConnect Pilot Program investments.
Partnering with USDA on the project is Ellijay Telephone Company.