A massive Central California broadband infrastructure project stands to benefit the Sierra Tel serving areas in the coming years.

The Central Valley Next Generation Broadband Infrastructure Project (CVNGBIP) has been awarded $46.6 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Funding. The project is designed and developed by the Central Valley Independent Network (CVIN), a consortium of independent telephone companies which includes Sierra Telephone, Ponderosa Telephone, Calaveras Telephone and Volcano Telephone, and the nonprofit Corporation for Education Network Initiatives in California (CENIC).

The money will help extend fiber optic and wireless broadband service from Yuba City to Bakersfield and through the Sierra Nevada mountains. The 18 counties, covering 39,530 square miles, targeted for broadband infrastructure through CVNGBIP include the counties of Madera, Mariposa, Tuolumne, Calaveras, Amador and 13 other Central Valley Counties.

"Investing in our broadband infrastructure is an investment in the future of our region," Congressman Jim Costa, Fresno, declared in a release.

Dan Rule, Sierra Telephone Business Development Manager and Linda Burton, Sierra Telephone Regulatory Manager met with Costa on Friday Aug. 20 to discuss broadband services for rural Americans.

“We believe that the widespread support from various groups and constituencies in these counties helped make the case for this funding. We thank the communities for that support and hope it will continue to grow as we prepare to launch,” said Rule.

The partner organizations together share an immense amount of expertise in the deployment and operation of advanced communications and network services throughout California. These companies cover over 7,000 square miles and operate more than 1,700 miles of fiber optics and have vast experience in providing broadband services. Many of these companies are more than 100 years old.

CVIN will utilize the new infrastructure for commercial purposes enabling businesses, residences, and county, local, state, and federal government agencies located in the serving areas to purchase a full range of telecommunications services. These services will be offered by CVIN directly, or by CVIN participants such as Sierra Telephone, Ponderosa Telephone, Golden State Cellular, Calaveras Telephone, Volcano Telephone and other local telecommunications providers with whom CVIN has strategic relationships.

The new federal grant funds will also help connect numerous community anchor institutions via fiber optics, including 19 county offices of education sites, fourteen community college sites, three California State University campuses, 20 county libraries, and seven e-911public safety sites. All told, the project is expected to take 30 months to complete.