By Jordan Hansen DAILY MONTANAN
Increasing rural internet connectivity continues to be a priority for the state and Gov. Greg Gianforte on Wednesday attended a ribbon cutting event on a new provider’s entrance into Montana.
Visionary Broadband recently completed a connectivity project in Hardin and is beginning another near Whitehall. Another nearly $2 million Visionary project is planned near Butte, according to state project recommendation documents. Montana is spending over $300 million as part of the ConnectMT project to increase internet access to rural corners of the state.
According to a press release from Visionary Broadband, about $119 million of ConnectMT funding is coming from American Rescue Plan Act funds dating back to 2021. The federal government ranks Montana poorly in high-speed internet access and has looked to invest heavily in building that infrastructure statewide.
“For years, our residents and small businesses have needed better internet,” Whitehall mayor Mary Hensleigh said in the press release. “This project gives Whitehall the infrastructure to support growth and stay connected.”
In Hardin, 2,077 more homes and businesses can now connect to high-speed fiber internet, while the Whitehall broadband project will connect 543 more. In Butte, 10 homes and businesses will be added.
“Expanding reliable, high-speed connections and bridging the digital divide has been a top priority in Montana,” Gianforte said in a press release. “By working with partners like Visionary Broadband and supporting projects like this, we’re ensuring reliable connection for our rural communities and creating greater access to good-paying jobs, high-quality education, and affordable health care.”
Visionary had a small presence in Butte and Red Lodge prior to this year’s expansion, the release said. As part of that expansion, the company acquired MTWeb.
“Homes have a need for reliable broadband. Businesses have a need for reliable broadband. Visionary saw this need in Butte, Hardin and Whitehall, and we stepped up, matching funds for the projects,” Brian Worthen, CEO of Visionary Broadband said in a press release. “I hope to continue our efforts to create an even playing field for communities through newly built broadband.”
