2 days ago
Millions in high-speed internet funds to go towards Charlotte area households, businesses
RALEIGH, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — More than $58 million in Fiber Broadband Project funding will go towards connecting over 10,000 households and businesses across 26 North Carolina counties, Gov. Josh Stein announced Wednesday.
'Good partnerships between our counties, the state, and internet providers will connect North Carolinians,' said Governor Josh Stein. 'I look forward to continuing to bring high-speed internet to every corner of the state so that people can communicate with family and friends, grow their business, or access telehealth services or educational opportunities.'
Today's awards add to the nearly $630 million in Growing Rural Economies with Access to Technology (GREAT) grants and previous Completing Access to Broadband (CAB) projects that will connect nearly 245,000 North Carolina households and businesses to high-speed internet.
The CAB projects will be funded by more than $41 million from the federal American Rescue Plan awarded by NCDIT and individual counties. More than $17 million comes from selected broadband providers, such as:
Cabarrus County: Spectrum Southeast, LLC and Windstream North Carolina, LLC: These awards will provide high-speed internet access to 1,314 homes and businesses (62.04% of the county's 2,118 eligible locations).
Iredell County: Spectrum Southeast, LLC: This award will provide high-speed internet access to 80 homes and businesses (4.94% of the county's remaining 1,618 eligible locations after previous awards).
Richmond County: Spectrum Southeast, LLC This award will provide high-speed internet access to 110 homes and businesses (14.08% of the county's 781 eligible locations).
Rowan County: Yadkin Valley Telephone Membership Corporation (Zirrus) This award will provide high-speed internet access to 261 homes and businesses (12.45% of the county's remaining 2,096 eligible locations after previous awards).
The CAB program's procurement process forms a partnership between counties and NCDIT to identify areas that need access, solicit proposals from prequalified internet service providers, and quickly make awards.
Awardees must agree to provide high-speed service that reliably meets or exceeds speeds of 100 Mbps download and 100 Mbps upload.
'Bringing high-speed internet to rural North Carolina is a game changer,' said NCDIT Secretary and State Chief Information Officer Teena Piccione. 'Thanks to the vision of Governor Stein and our General Assembly, we're making historic investments to close the digital divide, and more programs are on the way to connect additional communities across the state.'
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