NC Awards $4.5 Million to Kinetic, Expansion of High-Speed Fiber Internet Planned
2024年6月24日 - 10:30PM
ビジネスワイヤ(英語)
- 125 miles of new fiber optic lines to join 8,759 miles NC-based
Kinetic fiber already placed
- 1,392 unserved houses and businesses in Cabarrus and Union
counties to benefit
To bridge the digital divide, the North Carolina Department of
Information Technology (NCDIT) announced it will award Kinetic $4.4
million to bring high-speed fiber internet to unserved areas in two
counties.
This grant will enable Kinetic to significantly expand its
fiber-optic network in Cabarrus and Union counties by the end of
2026, bringing gigabit internet speeds to 1,392 previously unserved
locations.
“This is a monumental step forward in our mission to empower
communities across North Carolina with the digital tools necessary
for success in today’s connected world,” said Stacy Hale, Kinetic
regional president. “As a North Carolinian, I’m proud that
Kinetic's rollout of 125 miles of new fiber to these two counties
underscores our commitment to bridging the digital divide, ensuring
residents and businesses will no longer be at a digital
disadvantage.”
Kinetic will invest $1.9 million of private capital in this
fiber-to-the-home project and cover any cost overruns. This is part
of Kinetic’s multi-year $2 billion strategy to bridge the digital
divide.
North Carolina’s Completing Access to Broadband (CAB) program,
underscored by contributions from the federal American Rescue Plan,
local counties, and selected broadband providers like Kinetic, aims
to ensure that more North Carolinians can engage in a digital
society through affordable and reliable high-speed internet.
This initiative aligns perfectly with Kinetic’s mission to
enhance connectivity in under-served communities, demonstrating our
commitment to not just meeting, but exceeding the needs for
high-speed internet with equal upload and download speeds of 100
Mbps.
The CAB program awards in North Carolina are a part of a larger
effort, including over $356 million in Growing Rural Economies with
Access to Technology (GREAT) grants. Grants help bring high-speed
internet to thousands of North Carolinians, businesses and farms in
the most rural and remote areas of the state. These initiatives are
set to connect more than 140,000 households and businesses to
high-speed internet, demonstrating a significant stride towards
digital inclusion and equity in the state. The North Carolina
General Assembly appropriated $400 million from the American Rescue
Plan for this new program.
"Our partnership with the NCDIT and local communities
exemplifies what can be achieved when public and private sectors
come together with a shared vision,” said Sarah Hardin, Kinetic’s
vice president of state government affairs for North Carolina.
“We’re dedicated to ensuring that every corner of the state
benefits from reliable and fast internet connectivity. This
initiative represents a significant leap towards making that vision
a reality for North Carolinians."
This expansion will enable users to enjoy reliable gigabit
speeds, unlocking a plethora of opportunities for customers to
reliably work, focus on their education, and enjoy high-speed
internet in all capacities.
To learn more about Kinetic, visit www.gokinetic.com or to check
if a location is eligible, visit here.
About Kinetic: Kinetic, a Windstream company, offers fiber-based
broadband to residential and small business customers in 18 states.
The company’s quality-first approach connects customers to new
opportunities and possibilities by delivering a full suite of
advanced communications services. Kinetic is one of three brands
managed by Windstream. The company also offers managed cloud
communications and security services to mid-to-large enterprises
and government entities across the U.S. as well as customized
wavelength and dark fiber solutions to carriers, content providers
and hyperscalers in the U.S. and Canada. Windstream is a privately
held company headquartered in Little Rock, Ark. Additional
information about Kinetic is available at www.gokinetic.com or
windstream.com.
Category: Kinetic
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version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240623632974/en/
David Faggard