RALEIGH – Governor Josh Stein announced Tuesday more than $63 million in Completing Access to Broadband (CAB) program projects to connect 18,889 households and businesses in 30 counties to high-speed internet.
“North Carolinians’ need access to high-speed internet to connect them with friends and family, business opportunities, telehealth, and more,” said Governor Josh Stein. “Broadband is key 21st Century infrastructure, and these partnerships between counties across the state and internet providers will help connect more North Carolinians.”
“Access to high-speed internet is not just about connectivity; it’s about empowering individuals and communities to thrive in the digital age,” said NCDIT Secretary and State Chief Information Officer Teena Piccione. “We will continue collaborating with counties and internet service providers to fund projects to expand high-speed internet access to all North Carolinians.”
These projects will be awarded by NCDIT and are funded by more than $44 million from the federal American Rescue Plan and nearly $19 million from selected broadband providers. Three counties in our area will receive funding.
In Johnston County, Connect Holding II, LLC (Brightspeed) was awarded a grant to provide high-speed internet access to 1,439 homes and businesses (24.10% of the county’s 5,970 eligible locations). Many of the locations will be in rural areas outside of Four Oaks and Benson, including the Bentonville, Strickland’s Crossroads and Meadow communities. Other areas including homes off NC 210 near the Harnett County line, and several locations off Wilson’s Mills Road between Smithfield and Wilson’s Mills. A small section of Indian Camp Road and Bryant Drive near Smithfield are included. Some homes on Cole Road near Clayton and Moore Road near Kenly are part of the grant.
In Harnett County, Spectrum Southeast, LLC was awarded funds to provide high-speed internet access to 300 homes and businesses (7.87% of the county’s 3,810 eligible locations).
In Wayne County, Spectrum Southeast, LLC received a grant to provide high-speed internet access to 420 homes and businesses (13.96% of the county’s 3,008 eligible locations).
The CAB program’s procurement process creates 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.
Tuesday’s awards add to the $533 million in Growing Rural Economies with Access to Technology (GREAT) grants and previous CAB projects that will connect more than 211,000 North Carolina households and businesses to high-speed internet.
Can’t believe our government is still funding this outdated project with our tax dollars. The funding they are referring to comes from taxes they collect from paying customers bills (FUSF) which was paid with money that was already taxed when you earned it. Satellite internet is now fast and cheaper and doesn’t require construction. And anything is better than brigtspeed
Starlink. The answer is Starlink.
the answer is &*^% musk
I can’t even get 100 Mb/s upload from Spectrum now in an established cable area. Waiting on Lumos …
How come none of these companies invest in themselves? they be the only ones reaping the the monthly fees for said service our tax dollars provided? It should be a Tax payer loan, that gets repaid with interest, like all other loans.