Georgia is getting more than 13-million federal stimulus dollars to increase access to broadband for people in rural communities.

The lion’s share of the money will go to the Arkansas-based Windstream Corporation. It will use the money to bring DSL internet service to 75-thousand rural customers and 3-thousand businesses in the eastern Georgia.

U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsak says having broadband will create jobs, increase education, and improve public safety. It will also allow farmers faster access to weather and commodity information.

Vilsak says it’s an ongoing project.

“It’s a down-payment but not a balloon payment approach. It clearly makes a difference but there is still far more work to be done to make broadband available in all corners of the country and all parts of the country.”

More than 800-thousand dollars will also go to the Blue Ridge Telephone Company to increase internet access to their North Georgia customers.

Tags: USDA, rural Georgia, arra, Tom Vilsak, Windstream Corporation