REDMOND, Wash., Sept. 18, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- On Wednesday,
Nextlink Internet and Microsoft Corp. announced a
partnership that will help close the broadband gap in Iowa, Illinois, Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Texas, bringing high-speed internet to
hundreds of rural communities. The agreement will further enable
Nextlink to substantially expand their coverage areas and is part
of the Microsoft Airband Initiative, which is focused on addressing
this national crisis, with the goal of extending broadband access
to over 3 million unserved people in rural America by July 2022.
Lack of broadband connectivity is a pervasive national issue,
and particularly acute in rural areas of the country.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) reports that more
than 21 million Americans lack broadband access, the vast majority
of whom live in rural areas that continue to lag the national rate
of broadband usage. The problem is almost certainly larger than
that, though, as other studies and data sources, including
Microsoft data, have found that 162 million people across
the United States are not using
the internet at broadband speeds, including approximately 29
million people across Iowa,
Illinois, Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Texas.
"It's time to deliver on the connectivity promises that have
been made to people across the country, and this partnership
will help do that for many who have been left behind and unserved
in the heartland of America," said Shelley
McKinley, vice president, Technology and Corporate
Responsibility at Microsoft. "In the past two years with our
Airband Initiative, we've seen that progress is possible —
particularly when the public and private sectors come together.
Partnerships with regional ISPs like Nextlink that have the desire
and wherewithal to provide internet connectivity are a critical
part of closing the broadband gap and helping families, children,
farmers, businesses and whole communities to not only survive, but
thrive in the 21st century."
Nextlink will deploy a variety of broadband connectivity
technologies to bring these areas under coverage, including
wireless technologies leveraging TV white spaces (e.g., unused TV
frequencies) in select markets. Nextlink will continue its
deployments in Texas and
Oklahoma and immediately begin
deployment efforts in Kansas,
Nebraska, Iowa and Illinois, with rollouts planned through
2024.
Nextlink CEO Bill Baker noted,
"Nextlink is tremendously excited about the opportunity to join
forces with Microsoft. This agreement will accelerate the rollout
of high-speed broadband access to underserved areas that are
desperate for this critical service. This in turn will make those
areas more attractive for employers who require high-speed
broadband to operate. By itself, this project is going to generate
hundreds of full-time, long-term jobs in rural communities as
Nextlink builds out and services the required networks. The overall
impact to rural communities in terms of job creation and increased
viability for all employers is tremendous."
"This partnership will enable the coming of precision
agriculture, IoT, digital healthcare, access to higher education
and overall economic growth," said Ted
Osborn, Nextlink SVP of Strategy & Regulatory Affairs.
"Our experience tells us that advanced broadband access and
community support can make these promises a reality in relatively
short order."
Improved connectivity will bolster economic, educational and
telehealth opportunities for everyone in the region, and could be
particularly impactful for farmers. Together, the states covered in
part by this deal — Iowa,
Illinois, Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Texas — account for more than $120 billion in annual agricultural value, or 29%
of the agricultural output of the United
States, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture
(USDA). With broadband access, farmers can gain better access to
markets and take advantage of advancements in precision
agriculture, enabling them to better monitor crops and increase
their yields, which can translate into significant economic
returns. The USDA estimates widespread use of connected
technologies for agricultural production has the potential to
unlock over $47 billion in annual
gross benefit for the United
States.
The partnership builds on Microsoft and Nextlink's efforts to
close the digital divide. Nextlink is familiar with the needs of
rural communities and was awarded federal Connect America Fund
funding to expand broadband access to unserved rural communities.
The companies will also work together to ensure that, once
connectivity is available in these regions, people will receive the
digital skills training to help them take advantage of the economic
and social benefits that come with broadband access.
About Nextlink Internet
Nextlink Internet, LLC is a residential and commercial internet
access and phone services provider based in Hudson Oaks, Texas. The company is a leading
provider of broadband services to rural school districts and
municipalities. Since 2013, the company has organically attracted
over 36,000 broadband subscribers using solely private capital and
has managed industry-leading operating metrics. Nextlink optimizes
its IP-based optical-fiber and fixed wireless network with an
unrelenting commitment to customer service to achieve high customer
satisfaction.
About Microsoft
Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT) (@microsoft) enables digital
transformation for the era of an intelligent cloud and an
intelligent edge. Its mission is to empower every person and every
organization on the planet to achieve more.
View original content to download
multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/nextlink-internet-and-microsoft-closing-broadband-gap-in-central-us-300920510.html
SOURCE Microsoft Corp.