Brightspeed was the biggest winner, measured by number of grants, in the latest round of North Carolina broadband funding. The company won awards for 10 counties.
The state didn’t reveal the amount of funding going to each of the 10 providers that won grants. But the total funding awarded was $63 million.
The next biggest awardee, measured by the number of grants, was Charter, which will take home funding for five counties. Other companies winning funding for more than a single county include Focus Broadband (four counties) and Roanoke Connect Holdings/Fybe (three counties). In addition, Yadkin Valley Telephone Membership Corporation/Zirrus and Windstream each won grants for two counties.
Companies winning funding for a single county were Frontier, Wilkes Telephone Membership Corporation (RiverStreet Networks), ERC Broadband, and SkyBest Communications.
The funding came through North Carolina’s Completing Access to Broadband (CAB) program and will cover some of the costs of making high-speed broadband available to locations in 30 counties that currently lack service.
The CAB award program was funded through the federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).
North Carolina Broadband Funding
This is the third time in just a few weeks that Brightspeed came in on top in CAB awards made.
North Carolina’s broadband director, Angie Bailey, told Telecompetitor last year that North Carolina has the second largest rural population in the U.S. after Texas. Accordingly, the state tends to get relatively large amounts of federal funding for rural broadband programs.
Here is a complete list of North Carolina broadband funding awards made this week:
- Alamance County: Connect Holding II, LLC (Brightspeed) and Spectrum Southeast, LLC. These awards will provide high-speed internet access to 469 homes and businesses (20.51% of the county’s 2,287 eligible locations).
- Alexander County: Yadkin Valley Telephone Membership Corporation (Zirrus). This award will provide high-speed internet access to 394 homes and businesses (14.78% of the county’s 2,665 eligible locations).
- Bertie County: Roanoke Connect Holdings, LLC (Fybe). This award will provide high-speed internet access to 1,380 homes and businesses (91.39% of the county’s 1,510 eligible locations).
- Brunswick County: Atlantic Telephone Membership Cooperative (FOCUS Broadband). This award will provide high-speed internet access to 192 homes and businesses (57.31% of the county’s 335 eligible locations).
- Burke County: Connect Holding II, LLC (Brightspeed). This award will provide high-speed internet access to 82 homes and businesses (3.32% of the county’s 2,473 eligible locations).
- Camden County: Wilkes Telephone Membership Corporation (RiverStreet Networks). This award will provide high-speed internet access to 921 homes and businesses (82.97% of the county’s 1,110 eligible locations).
- Catawba County: Connect Holding II, LLC (Brightspeed). This award will provide high-speed internet access to 648 homes and businesses (28.38% of the county’s 2,283 eligible locations).
- Chowan County: Atlantic Telephone Membership Cooperative (FOCUS Broadband). This award will provide high-speed internet access to 132 homes and businesses (91.67% of the county’s 144 eligible locations).
- Columbus County: Atlantic Telephone Membership Cooperative (FOCUS Broadband). This award will provide high-speed internet access to 108 homes and businesses (14.86% of the county’s 727 eligible locations).
- Currituck County: Connect Holding II, LLC (Brightspeed). This award will provide high-speed internet access to 1,354 homes and businesses (83.94% of the county’s 1,613 eligible locations).
- Durham County: Frontier Communications of the Carolinas, LLC. This award will provide high-speed internet access to 123 homes and businesses (22.49% of the county’s 547 eligible locations).
- Franklin County: Connect Holding II, LLC (Brightspeed). This award will provide high-speed internet access to 1,415 homes and businesses (53.80% of the county’s 2,630 eligible locations).
- Granville County: Roanoke Connect Holdings, LLC (Fybe). This award will provide high-speed internet access to 2,164 homes and businesses (90.96% of the county’s 2,379 eligible locations).
- Harnett County: Spectrum Southeast, LLC. This award will provide high-speed internet access to 300 homes and businesses (7.87% of the county’s 3,810 eligible locations).
- Jackson County: ERC Broadband, LLC. This award will provide high-speed internet access to 570 homes and businesses (12.63% of the county’s 4,512 eligible locations).
- Johnston County: Connect Holding II, LLC (Brightspeed). This award will provide high-speed internet access to 1,439 homes and businesses (24.10% of the county’s 5,970 eligible locations).
- Martin County: Roanoke Connect Holdings, LLC (Fybe). This award will provide high-speed internet access to 215 homes and businesses (35.66% of the county’s 603 eligible locations).
- Montgomery County: Connect Holding II, LLC (Brightspeed). This award will provide high-speed internet access to 1,661 homes and businesses (73.40% of the county’s 2,263 eligible locations).
- Northampton County: Roanoke Connect Holdings, LLC (Fybe). This award will provide high-speed internet access to 288 homes and businesses (73.47% of the county’s 392 eligible locations).
- Perquimans County: Atlantic Telephone Membership Cooperative (FOCUS Broadband). This award will provide high-speed internet access to 121 homes and businesses (77.07% of the county’s 157 eligible locations).
- Person County: Spectrum Southeast, LLC. This award will provide high-speed internet access to 240 homes and businesses (9.34% of the county’s 2,189 eligible locations).
- Rockingham County: Spectrum Southeast, LLC. This award will provide high-speed internet access to 198 homes and businesses (13.24% of the county’s 1,495 eligible locations).
- Rowan County: Windstream North Carolina, LLC. This award will provide high-speed internet access to 507 homes and businesses (17.51% of the county’s 2,896 eligible locations).
- Scotland County: Spectrum Southeast, LLC. This award will provide high-speed internet access to 135 homes and businesses (20.06% of the county’s 673 eligible locations).
- Union County: Windstream North Carolina, LLC and Spectrum Southeast, LLC. These awards will provide high-speed internet access to 1,189 homes and businesses (28.94% of the county’s 4,108 eligible locations).
- Watauga County: SkyBest Communications, LLC. This award will provide high-speed internet access to 178 homes and businesses (67.94% of the county’s 262 eligible locations).
- Washington County: Connect Holding II, LLC (Brightspeed). This award will provide high-speed internet access to 1,043 homes and businesses (96.48% of the county’s 1,081 eligible locations).
- Warren County: Connect Holding II, LLC (Brightspeed). This award will provide high-speed internet access to 793 homes and businesses (66.86% of the county’s 1,186 eligible locations).
- Wayne County: Spectrum Southeast, LLC. This award will provide high-speed internet access to 420 homes and businesses (13.96% of the county’s 3,008 eligible locations).
- Yadkin County: Yadkin Valley Telephone Membership Corporation (Zirrus). This award will provide high-speed internet access to 210 homes and businesses (88.61% of the county’s 237 eligible locations).
Additional information about the recent North Carolina broadband funding can be found in the state’s press release.
