CRANBERRY ISLES, Maine (AP)   An effort to bring reliable high-speed internet to a cluster of isolated islands off the Maine coast has received a $1.3 million boost from the federal government.

The town of Cranberry Isles had voted to move forward on the project, even though it appeared federal funding was unlikely. Work had already begun when the U.S. Department of Agriculture awarded the town a grant last week.

Broadband committee chairman Malcolm Fernald tells WABI-TV it’s a “great windfall” for the town.

The Bangor Daily News reports the town’s current internet service frequently drew complaints for being slow and unreliable. Some residents said they had to commute to the mainland for a stable connection.