US-based Great Lakes Communication Corporation (GLCC) has invested US$1.4m into building its new facility in Lake Park, Iowa to connect those in the rural area.

The communications company provides local land line telephone and internet services under its retail name IGL TeleConnect.

The 2,400 sq ft Great Lakes facility started construction last October and is engineered to withstand an EF-5 tornado.

Great Lakes Communication Corporation’s president Kellie Beneke said the company provides a service to the underserved area and the rural community who have slow or no internet.

The data center will utilize free cooling anytime the ambient air temperature is 45 degrees or colder.

Iowa’s state governor Terry Branstad said: “We have a goal of connecting every acre in having high speed broadband for the whole state".