First Iowa broadband stimulus project by Windstream will be in Protivin

Windstream has begun construction of its first broadband stimulus project in Iowa.  The project involves upgrading about two miles of Windstream's existing network in Protivin, laying fiber optic cable and installing new electronic equipment.  The project will reach about 30 potential customers.

Construction is expected to be completed later this month.  The new broadband service should be available to Windstream customers in October.

The work in Protivin is being funded in part by a federal grant under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.   The stimulus grants were designed to bring broadband to sparsely populated and remote areas where extending high-speed Internet service is cost prohibitive without a public-private partnership.