The Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe of South Dakota will use a $4.2 million federal loan to bring high-speed Internet to homes and businesses on the reservation.

The tribe will use the money to build a high-speed digital subscriber line (DSL). The tribe provide service to 216 homes initially with more will be added later.

The 14-year, 4 percent loan was made to the tribe's telephone authority, which is considered a leader in Indian Country telecommunications.

The loan was part of 20 rural broadband and telecommunication loans totaling $190 million announced by the Department of Agriculture yesterday.

Get the Story:
Loan speeds Net to reservation (AP 5/5)
Loan boosts reservation Internet (The Sioux Falls Argus Leader 5/5)
USDA Announces $190 Million In Loans To Support Rural Access To High-Speed Internet Technology (USDA 5/4)

Relevant Links:
Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe - http://www.sioux.org
USDA Rural Development - http://www.rurdev.usda.gov

Related Stories:
Digital divide still an issue for Indian Country (05/23)