Federal Ag Money Brings High-Speed Internet to Farmers

None by KCPW

UTOPIA Plans Major Expansion

(KCPW News) Sixty-six million dollars in loans from the U.S. Department of Agriculture will allow the Utah Telecommunications Open Infrastructure Agency - or UTOPIA - to blanket six small Utah cities with high-speed internet and cable service.

The network currently has about five-thousand customers in parts of West Valley, Murray, Midvale, Orem, Payson and Lindon. Phase One cost 85-million taxpayer dollars to complete. The federal agricultural loan - intended to give farmers access to broadband connections - will to triple the size of the network's next phase. A spokesman for Utopia says Phase Two construction will focus on Payson, Lindon, Brigham City, Centerville and Tremonton and be complete in 18 months.

Email to a friendPosted in KCPW Newsroom. Copyright 2009 KCPW