Tag Archive for: #brightspeed

Franklin Continues Expansion Of Broadband Network

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-information courtesy of Franklin County Public Information Officer James Hicks

 

The Franklin County board of commissioners approved in May spending more than $430,000 to get a matching grant from Brightspeed to bring high-speed internet service to more than 1,400 homes throughout the county.

The money – $437,650 – will be coupled with $437,651 from Brightspeed as part of a $4 million Growing Rural Economies with Access to Technology (GREAT) Grant Phase II, according to information from Franklin Public Information Officer James Hicks.

The county will use ARPA funds to fulfill its commitment.

“This is an important milestone to celebrate,” said Franklin County Manager Kim Denton. “Five and a half years ago, the County began very focused efforts to improve broadband access and that work continues to move forward.”

Increased broadband access expands opportunities for education, healthcare, economic development and personal enrichment and entrepreneurship.

The locations of this deployment are in areas around Franklinton, Youngsville, to the east and north of Louisburg and in several areas along Highway 401 near Royal and to the west of Bunn.

A previous $3.9 million GREAT Grant – Phase I – provided high-speed fiber internet to nearly 2,000 homes in underserved areas of Franklin County. That project deployed fiber internet to 1,978 homes in the unincorporated areas of Franklinton, Centerville, Wood, Justice, Bunn, Green Hill, Laurel Mill, Montgomery, Firetower, NC 561, NC 56 East, Alert and Perry.

GREAT grants, established by N.C. legislature and awarded by N.C. Broadband Infrastructure Office, are provided to private broadband service providers to “facilitate the deployment of broadband service to unserved areas of North Carolina,” according to the Broadband Office’s website. For more information, please visit https://www.ncbroadband.gov/grants/great-grant.

Franklin County residents can find out more about broadband efforts in the County and see a map by visiting https://www.franklincountync.gov/community/broadband.php

 

Granville To Bring High-Speed Internet To Underserved Areas Of County

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Granville County Board of Commissioners have finalized a partnership with Brightspeed and the NC Department of Information Technology to provide high-speed fiber internet access to close to 2,000 homes and businesses in rural spots across the county.

Through the Growing Rural Economies with Access to Technology (GREAT) Grant Program, Brightspeed will have two years to install internet infrastructure capable of providing fiber internet service to the approved locations. The NC GREAT Grant award totaled $4 million, and Granville County will use ARPA funds to kick in 20 percent of the more than $6.67 million project cost.

County leaders and elected officials continue to find ways to increase access to reliable internet service throughout the county.

State laws prohibit county and city governments from installing or providing internet infrastructure, but partnerships with internet service providers are allowed..

Board of Commissioners Chair Russ May said this project is a good start to provide more high-speed access to county residents. “Much like water or electric service, high-speed internet access is an essential utility for daily life, and we are thankful that the State of North Carolina chose to dedicate a significant portion of their ARPA funding to this project,” May said.

The areas served by this project are concentrated on the outskirts of Oxford, in western Granville County around  the Berea and Culbreth communities, and the northern Granville County communities of Cornwall, Oak Hill, Gela and Grassy Creek.

To view a full map of addresses served, click here: https://www.granvillecounty.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/GREAT-Grant-Broadband-Infrastructure-Project-Locations-20230126.pdf