Western Iowa Networks (WIN) has been awarded a more than quarter-million-dollar grant from the Iowa Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO) to extend fiber optic infrastructure to rural sites across Carroll and Crawford Counties. This grant marks the eighth consecutive award WIN has received from the OCIO since 2019 as part of the company’s effort to extend high-speed internet to customers in their service area. WIN secured the grant through collaboration with the Carroll County Growth Partnership (CCGP) and the Region XII Council of Governments. These agencies completed the “Invitation to Qualify” necessary for the telecommunications provider to be selected for the funding. Expanding fiber optic services in these areas will significantly improve connectivity, providing internet speeds up to 1 gigabit alongside phone and digital TV services. WIN CEO Jeff Roiland says, “We are excited about continuing to contribute to the growth and well-being of Carroll and Crawford Counties,” said Jeff Roiland, CEO at WIN. “This project aligns with our commitment to providing reliable and high-quality telecommunications services to the communities we serve. The areas included in this grant will go a long way in filling in some of the gaps not included in previous rounds of grants.” WIN plans to begin construction sometime in the next several months.
