TDS Telecommunications announced that part of its American Recovery and Reinvestment Act stimulus-funded broadband Internet project around Centre and Cedar Bluff is now accessible to some residents living in the area.

Construction on the stimulus-funded project will continue and should wrap up by the end of the year.

Once complete, about 1,200 area residents in the more rural areas of Cherokee County will have access to a high-speed Internet connection.

Nearly 58 miles of fiber optics cabling is being installed and 22 cabinets (which protect the advanced network electronics) are being placed throughout TDS’ Peoples Telephone Company to provide high-speed Internet access to more residents.

TDS will alert customers when the service is accessible.

TDS is receiving funding for 44 projects, including this one in Alabama, from the United States Department of Agriculture’s Rural Utilities Service as part of the ARRA.

Nationwide, more than 95 percent of TDS customers already have access to high-speed Internet service.

TDS is intent on providing as many remaining customers with broadband connectivity as possible.

According to TDS, federal stimulus funds are helping to close the gap and deliver Internet connectivity to more than 20,000 customers.

For background information and updates, visit www.tdstelecom.com/stimulus.