DENVER--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Rise Broadband (formerly JAB Broadband), the nation’s largest fixed wireless broadband service provider, is being awarded $16.9 million to deliver affordable high-speed Internet and phone service to unserved or under-served homes and businesses in five states through the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) Rural Broadband Experiment program.
As one of the FCC’s award designees, Rise will ultimately offer wireless broadband service to more than 43,000 homes and businesses in rural parts of Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, and Texas. The award was made to the company’s Skybeam, LLC, subsidiary, which was rebranded as Rise along with the rest of the organization in May 2015.
“The FCC Rural Broadband Experiment ensures people in remote areas will have access to high-speed, affordable Internet and phone service – closing the digital divide and providing the communications access they need and deserve,” said Jack Koo, Rise Broadband’s president and chief executive officer. “By enhancing information, streaming, education, and entertainment, we help individuals and businesses in remote areas connect with the people and things they value most; supporting each area’s economy in the process.”
The FCC Rural Broadband Experiment was created in 2014 to identify reliable, affordable alternatives of bringing high-speed broadband service to rural residents across the country. The program’s investment is $100 million; with no one bidder able to receive more than $20 million.
The FCC received more than 575 bids from 181 companies. Rise Broadband was chosen based on the cost effectiveness of building its networks and by demonstrating a proven track record and technical expertise in delivering broadband service to rural areas.
About Rise Broadband
Rise Broadband is the nation’s largest fixed wireless Internet provider; serving nearly 200,000 rural and suburban residential and commercial accounts in the Midwest, Rocky Mountain and Southwest regions.
Incorporated in 2005, parent company JAB Broadband rebranded all of its operations as Rise Broadband in 2015 – including regional divisions Digis, Prairie-iNet, Skybeam, T6 and Rhino Communications.
Today, Rise Broadband offers affordable high-speed broadband (Internet and phone) services in 16 states; with speeds ranging between 3 Mbps and 1 Gbps.
Rise Broadband is headquartered in metro Denver. For more information, visit www.risebroadband.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
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