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Governor Roy Cooper has announced that .9 million will be allocated towards increasing internet access in Bladen, Columbus, and Sampson counties in North Carolina. This funding comes from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and will be given to Star Telephone Membership Corporation, an internet service provider, to facilitate the expansion of internet access in these areas.

The grant, known as the ReConnect Program grant, is funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and is set to benefit 2,674 individuals, 84 businesses, 117 farms, and four educational facilities in the three counties. In addition to this grant, North Carolina previously received over .5 billion in June for its high-speed internet infrastructure projects and digital equity initiatives under the federal Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program, also funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

The ReConnect Program grant requires applicants to serve rural areas that currently lack internet service at speeds of 100 megabits per second (Mbps) for download and 20 Mbps for upload. Applicants are also required to commit to building facilities that can deliver these speeds in the proposed service area. Furthermore, they must participate in the Affordable Connectivity Program, which offers discounts on internet service for low-income households.

Governor Cooper expressed his gratitude towards the federal partners for their continued investment in North Carolina and highlighted how this funding, combined with the previous BEAD allocation, will contribute significantly to closing the digital divide and ensuring access to high-speed internet for all communities in the state.

For more information about broadband access in North Carolina, you can visit the state’s online resources.

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