Historic federal broadband investment brings fiber-to-the-home service to rural Hoosiers,
continuing electric cooperatives’ century-long commitment to rural Indiana
Carmel, Ind. – July 20, 2026
Decatur County REMC and NineStar Connect are two of the
first organizations in Indiana to sign their federal Broadband
Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program contracts,
marking a landmark moment in the effort to close the rural
digital divide across the state.
Decatur County REMC will receive $7,133,202 in BEAD
funding, matched by $6,534,465 in cooperative investment, to
deploy fiber-to-the-home broadband service to unserved
communities and businesses in Decatur, Jennings, Ripley,
Franklin, Rush, and Bartholomew Counties. NineStar Connect
will receive $16,743,798, matched with $5,580,932 in
cooperative investment for infrastructure in Hancock, Madison,
Shelby, Henry, Rush, Decatur, and Fayette counties.
The BEAD Program, administered through the Indiana Broadband Office, is a federal initiative
designed to close the rural digital divide by expanding access to high-speed internet for
unserved and underserved communities across Indiana.
“When rural Indiana needed broadband and no one else was stepping up, Indiana’s electric
cooperatives did,” said John Cassady, CEO of Indiana Electric Cooperatives. “Indiana
cooperatives have independently invested to bring high-speed internet to families, farmers, and
businesses that have gone without access for far too long. BEAD builds on that investment. We
appreciate the hard work and dedication from the Indiana Broadband Office in making this
investment possible.”
“This is an important first step in Indiana’s BEAD rollout,” said Megan Minor, chief broadband
officer for the Indiana Broadband Office. “Decatur County REMC and NineStar Connect have
demonstrated the kind of readiness and community commitment this program was designed to
support.”
Decatur County REMC will deploy a fiber-to-the-home network delivering internet speeds of up
to 2 Gbps symmetrical to member-consumers. Construction is expected to begin in August, with
the entire project scheduled for completion by August 2027. Decatur County REMC will beginoffering service as construction progresses, and consumers will be able to subscribe as soon as
fiber construction is completed in an area. All locations included in the project are expected to
have service available by August 2027.
“This funding is transformational for our members,” said Brett Abplanalp, CEO of Decatur
County REMC. “Access to quality broadband is essential to how people live, work, learn, and do
business. For too long, our members have been left on the wrong side of the digital divide. With
the assistance of BEAD funding, we can finally change that — and as a cooperative, we’re
committed to doing it right, with fiber infrastructure that will serve our members and our
communities for decades to come.”
NineStar Connect will deploy fiber-to-the-home infrastructure capable of delivering speeds of up
to 10 Gbps to member-consumers in Hancock, Madison, Shelby, Henry, Rush, Decatur, and
Fayette counties. Construction is expected to begin in 2027, with service available to all
consumers by 2030.
“Reliable high-speed internet is no longer a luxury — it’s a necessity for families, businesses,
schools, and healthcare,” said Michael Burrow, CEO of NineStar Connect. “This investment
gives us the opportunity to bring world-class fiber broadband to new areas of rural Indiana. With
BEAD funding, we can accelerate that work and ensure our communities have the infrastructure
they need to thrive now and well into the future.”
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About Indiana Electric Cooperatives
Indiana Electric Cooperatives, located in Carmel, represents Indiana’s electric cooperatives that
serve 1.3 million Hoosiers in 89 of the state’s 92 counties. For more information about the
association, visit IndianaEC.org.
About Decatur County REMC
Decatur County REMC, located in Greensburg, Ind., is an electric utility cooperative serving
almost 6,800 members in Decatur, Bartholomew, Franklin, Jennings, Ripley, and Rush counties
and maintains over 1,070 miles of line. For more information about the cooperative, visit
dcremc.com.
About NineStar Connect
NineStar Connect is a smart utility that brings advanced fiber optic and utility infrastructure
solutions including to historically underserved communities. Our reliable and innovative
infrastructure solutions make the communities we serve among the most wired and desirable
places for economic development. For more information about the cooperative, visit
ninestarconnect.com.
About the Indiana Broadband Office
The Indiana Broadband Office (IBO) is a one-stop shop for all things broadband, and the team
is dedicated to securing affordable, reliable service for every Hoosier. The IBO partners with
individuals, other units of government, businesses, nonprofits, and community organizations to
understand the different broadband needs across the state. These partnerships lead to lasting
connections that help identify when and where aid is needed. For more information, visit
in.gov.indianabroadband.
