Illinois Schools, Libraries To Get Broadband Boost

Calix has been tapped by Clearwave Communications to boost broadband access to 232 anchor institutions including schools and libraries in Southern Illinois as part of a $45 million project, including a $31.5 million grant from the government's broadband stimulus program, $11.3 million from the state of Illinois, $400,000 in county grants and $2.1 million in private investment. Clearwave and Calix will provide speeds between 10 Mbps and 1 Gbps to those institutions through a mix of platforms, Calix says that, to date, it has partnered with stimulus fund winners on 21 projects representing $270 million in investment combining government grants, loans, and private investment. All the federal government broadband stimulus grant money also required at least a 20% investment by the applicants, though that could come from other grants, like the state and county grant money cited above.