Callabyte Technology at Callaway Electric Cooperative is receiving $138,000 to expand rural broadband access.
Gov. Mike Parson visited the Callaway County cooperative Tuesday to announce the award of the first $3 million in aid through the state's Emergency Broadband Investment Program.
Callabyte is one of eight providers and 16 projects receiving state funds to connect thousands of Missouri households.
"During the recent COVID-19 pandemic, it became very apparent again, the need for high-speed broadband in people's homes, people's businesses and, quite honestly, it's actually changing people's lives," Callaway Electric Cooperative CEO Tom Howard said.
The program has been allocated up to $20 million to reimburse providers that have expanded or plan to connect residents in unserved or underserved areas with high-speed internet.
Parson told a crowd of state and local leaders his two priorities for the state are infrastructure and workforce development, which he believes will help keep families in Missouri and ensure the state is competitive.
"When I talk about infrastructure, you know when you first stay that you think highways, roads, bridges, airports and all that," Parson said. "Broadband was just a critical, important piece of that for us to be able to compete, not only in Missouri with other businesses but also with other businesses in the United States and frankly the world."
By the end of last year, Parson said, Missouri was on "cloud nine." Then COVID-19 hit.
"The one thing I want to say to you during that time, it also showed a weakness in us that I don't like having to point out too much when it comes to broadband," Parson said.
With people across the state studying and working from home, expanding broadband became even more of a priority.
Parson spoke of the importance of cooperatives in achieving that goal.
"Don't get me wrong, there's a lot of cable companies that are out there that are doing their jobs and everything, but if you're really going to expand broadband, it will be the co-ops," he said.
The state has introduced six initiatives and $50 million related to broadband development.
"We're going to continue to probably be funding more money - maybe through the CARES Act, maybe more money through the budget process - to work on broadband," Parson said. "We know it showed a real weakness when the virus came for our state, and we've just go to do a better job of making sure people have access."
The funds awarded to Callabyte will help the company expand to serve households in Warren County.
"We've taking out broadband project outside of the co-op service area," Howard said. "But what we're finding is there continues to be pockets of people in small communities that do not have access to high-speed broadband."