Texas Awards $57.8M to Lyte Fiber to Get Rural Counties Online
Texans in Marion and Navarro Counties are getting a serious internet upgrade. Lyte Fiber just scored a $57.8 million grant from the State of Texas to extend high-speed broadband into rural areas that have been stuck in digital slow lanes for way too long.
This funding, delivered through the state’s BOOT II Program, will help connect more than 6,750 homes and businesses that either had poor internet or none at all. And the stakes aren’t just about faster Netflix streaming—this is about economic equity and access.
“This investment in broadband expansion is not solely about laying fiber; it's about supporting economic growth, educational opportunities, healthcare access, and an overall enhanced quality of life for Texans in rural and underserved areas,” said Greg Conte, Director of the Texas Broadband Development Office.
Houston-based Lyte Fiber isn’t just pocketing the check and calling it a day. The company is throwing in over $11 million of its own money and laying down more than 900 miles of fiber infrastructure. That’s a serious commitment to digging trenches and closing gaps.
“This significant funding award underscores Lyte Fiber's unwavering commitment to building cutting-edge, lightning-fast, future-ready fiber infrastructure across Texas,” said CEO Carter Old. “As a Texas-based company, we are especially honored to partner with the State on this important endeavor to serve Texas families and further enhance the State's economic competitive edge.”
The money behind this mission is coming from the Coronavirus Capital Projects Fund and the Texas Broadband Infrastructure Fund, both aimed at tackling internet inequality across the state. The latter was backed by voters in 2023—proof Texans aren’t messing around when it comes to getting online.
Old wasn’t shy about what this project means: “Bridging the digital divide in rural Texas requires collaborative public/private partnerships strategically focused on delivering game-changing, affordable fiber connectivity to thousands of Texans who have gone too long without the connectivity they need and deserve.”
The BOOT Program, led by the Texas Comptroller’s Broadband Development Office, is all about delivering fast and affordable internet to the people who need it most. With gigabit speeds on the horizon, residents in these counties can finally start playing catch-up in a world that’s been sprinting ahead online.
