3 Rivers Communications has awarded nearly $160,000 to schools and libraries to expand access to technology and digital learning opportunities. The cooperative also provides grants, scholarships to students and teachers to help sustain education across its rural service area. 

Adams Fiber installed fiber networks at the Adams and Hancock County Fairgrounds so that local law enforcement and emergency responders have the connectivity needed to keep people safe during events.

Impact
ASTAC proudly serves the “top of the world,” and has taken the most northern part of Alaska from having one pay phone in 1981 to thousands of miles of fiber internet. It has found partners at every level to help bridge the digital divide in some of the hardest to reach parts of our country—from USDA and the Bureau of Land Management to native corporations and the cities of Atqasuk and Utqiagvik. In some cases, the Arctic Slope techs were out burying fiber in negative 30-degree weather to get the job done.

Public Safety
The Perham Fire Department serves 164 square miles and five townships. Relying on broadband and LTE, each volunteer firefighter’s smartphone includes a mobile app that allows the firefighter to view reported fires, use GPS to find the fire’s location, and confirm the availability of each team member. The app also identifies the location of nearby fire hydrants.

Bulloch Solutions designed and deployed a redundant network to support a new manufacturing facility in Bulloch County. The cooperative’s commitment to excellence also extends to the communities it serves, as it has partnered with community leaders and organizations to host literacy events, business expos and career days.

Impact
CASSCOMM partnered with the Reimagine Mason City Foundation to start a youth association and student center.