Hood Canal Communications (HCC) has received $2.3 million in grant funding to expand broadband service area in Mason County. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) through the Rural Utilities Service (RUS) has awarded HCC the Community Connect Grant to extend broadband services to residents and businesses in the Lake Cushman area. Hood Canal Communications will contribute approximately $352,000 in matching funds to this project bringing the total investment to $2.7 million. The project will serve upper Lake Cushman homes and businesses, which currently do not have access to broadband, with Fiber to the Home and offer broadband speeds up to 1,000 Mbps (Gigabit) synchronous. The Gigabit Passive Optical Network (GPON) will serve the current and future needs of the area providing high speed internet, phone, and TV service. Having the availability of high speed internet service will also greatly enhance the capabilities of state and local emergency responders in the area.
According to Mike Oblizalo, General Manager and Vice President, the company is extremely grateful to the RUS for making the project possible.
The grant application and the project have the support of many community partners including the Lake Cushman Maintenance Company HOA, the Skokomish Tribe, and numerous home and property owners in the affected area. Sincere gratitude is expressed for the support of many residents, businesses and elected officials such as Governor Jay Inslee, Congressman Derek Kilmer, Congressman Denny Heck, Senator Patty Murray, Senator Maria Cantwell, Senator Tim Sheldon, State Representative Drew MacEwen, and Mason County Commissioners Kevin Shutty, Terri Jeffreys, and Randy Neatherlin.
For additional information, please contact Darren Eisele, Director of Marketing and Public Relations, or review the company website.
Hood Canal Communications is a local communications service provider with approximately 5,500 residential and business customers in Mason County. With offices located in Union and Shelton, the company has been serving Mason County since 1934.