In summer of 2020, Dixie Electric was awarded more than $3 million in CARES Act grant funding for a high-speed internet pilot project. On May 11, 2021, Public Utilities Staff Executive Director Sally Doty and Deputy Director Kyle Brown visited for an update on the progress of the pilot project for the purpose of verifying the use of the CARES Act funds.

“We were proud to host Sally and Kyle to see the progress of our internet company, DE Fastlink, and our pilot project. Entrusting us with CARES Act funding was an important step in offering high-speed internet, so we appreciated the opportunity to share the milestones of the pilot project,” General Manager Randy Smith said.

In addition to hearing presentations from the staff of Dixie Electric, Doty and Brown visited with three customers in the pilot project area who are receiving the service. They wanted to verify the speeds of the internet and hear from the customers on the reliability of the high-speed network.

“Our speed tests were all strong, and the customers were complimentary of the service they are receiving,” System Engineer Jeremy McAndrew said. McAndrew manages the high-speed internet project.

Doty and Brown visited with employees at the Little General Store in Ovett, Margaret Boyd – the first customer of DE Fastlink, and Lucy Cooley who resides in Ovett, gauging how the internet service is benefiting the rural community of Ovett.

DE Fastlink is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Dixie Electric, providing high-speed internet to customers in rural areas. For package pricing and information on where the service will be expanded to next, visit defastlink.net.