The US regional service provider Big River Broadband has selected Alcatel-Lucent to expand 4G LTE services in seven Missouri counties in the first quarter of 2012. As per the agreement Alcatel-Lucent will provide its end-to-end 4G LTE solution to the customers in these countries.
“The residents of rural and underserved areas of southeastern Missouri deserve the same access to mobile broadband applications as those of the bigger, more metropolitan areas. Today, the seven counties in Big River''s service territory suffer from a lack of access to affordable networks. The availability of an expansive and affordable broadband network will dramatically change many aspects of our customers’ lives, including the areas of agriculture, public safety, government, administration, real estate, land values and tourism”, said Kevin Keaveny, CTO for Big River Broadband.
Robert Vrij, president of Alcatel-Lucent’s Americas Region added: “Capacity, choice and speed are some of the obvious benefits of expanded wireless broadband. But Big River also recognizes the less obvious benefit of technology like mobile broadband opening the door to opportunity. The ability to connect people and ideas at the speed of light changes everything from access to education, healthcare, retail and other services.” Big River’s 4G LTE network will be funded with a $33 million dollar build-out through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Big River Broadband is part of the Missouri Broadband Commission entrusted to deliver 95% broadband penetration within the State of Missouri. This program was awarded in September of 2010 by the Rural Utility Services (RUS) which is part of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). |