AT&T's efforts to secure more public-private partnership deals appear to be paying off, locking in a second such agreement in Indiana.
The carrier was awarded a $4.4 million contract to provide fiber to more than 4,000 locations in Boonville, Ind. The deal was first announced by the town in May, but is contingent on funding approval by the city council and execution of the final contract. AT&T said it now has all the necessary approvals and signatures, and planning and engineering work will now begin. It added that the project is expected to be completed within 18 months.
In a statement, Boonville Mayor Charlie Wyatt said, "Connectivity is critical to the success of our community, and we are pleased to now formally move forward with AT&T on this important project." He previously noted that the upcoming network will allow residents to take advantage of online education, healthcare and business resources.
The new project complements another public-private partnership that AT&T is building in neighboring Vanderburgh County, Indiana. The $39.6 million effort aims to deliver fiber to more than 20,000 locations within two years. In recent months, AT&T has also signed public-private partnership agreements with Oldham County, Kentucky, and Amarillo, Texas, to cover an additional 42,000 fiber locations.
Last month, AT&T's president of broadband access and adoption said it is "absolutely interested in talking to all communities that are considering using government funding to improve connectivity." Communities have made broadband a priority, and operators have seen them tap into a variety of funding sources, from American Rescue Plan Act money to their own general funds to help build out. Public-private partnerships play a key role in bridging the digital divide, enabling carriers to deploy in areas that would otherwise be uneconomic.
