Broadband internet service coming to rural Box Elder communities

Gov. Spencer Cox lauds the benefit of broadband Internet service during a news conference in Mantua on Mar. 10.

MANTUA – High-speed internet service is coming to currently isolated communities in Box Elder County and the price tag for that improved connectivity will be nearly $9.5 million.

On Mar. 10, Gov. Spencer Cox announced the award of $5.86 million of the state’s $10 million Broadband Access Grant to link rural households in Box Elder County via high-speed broadband fiber optic cable.

“What broadband does is turn any home into a school,” Cox explained at the news conference at Sydney’s Restaurant in Mantua. “It can turn any home into a hospital. It can turn any home into a movie theater. It can turn any home into a work place.”

The number of households in Box Elder County impacted by the state grant will be about 2,400, according to Ryan Starks, the director of the Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity.

The communities gaining faster Internet access will include Bear River City, Elwood, Howell, Mantua, Penrose, South Willard, Thatcher and Willard.

Cox said the funding for the state’s Broadband Access Grant was obtained from President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) of 2021.

ARPA is intended to facilitate the United States’ recovery from the devastating economic and health effects of the coronavirus pandemic by providing federal funds to state governments.

While many other states are using those fund to stimulate their economies, Cox said Utah is free to use ARPA funds for investments like fiber optic expansion because its economy was wisely managed during the pandemic.

Local funding of about $3.46 million will cover the remainder of the cost of the broadband expansion in Box Elder County, according to County Commissioner Stan Summers.

During his visit to Mantua, the governor also encouraged all Utahns to participate in the Internet Speed Test, a campaign recently launched by the Utah Broadband Center.

That campaign is a statewide initiative for residents to self-report their Internet speed at home, work or wherever they connect to the Internet. That data will help to identify areas of the state with the greatest need for Internet upgrades.

Utahns can complete the speed test by going to www.speedtest.utah.gov.

The Utah Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity provides resources and support for business creation, growth and recruitment. It also drives increased tourism, film production, outdoor recreation and mixed martial arts in Utah.

The Utah Broadband Center advances economic opportunity, energy efficiency, telecommuting, education and tele-health functions that rely on broadband infrastructure. It works with broadband providers; local, state and federal policymakers; consumers; community institutions; and other stakeholders to support broadband deployment throughout the state

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