North Carolina announces grant to expand internet access to 11 Counties

RALEIGH, N.C. (FOX Carolina) - North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper announced that more than 13,000 households and 582 businesses across the state will get access to high-speed internet thanks to recent grants.

The North Carolina Department of Information Technology (NCDIT) awarded the following Growing Rural Economies with Access to Technology (GREAT) grants to expand the infrastructure.

Anson County: Spectrum Southeast, LLC (Charter Communications)
Cabarrus County: Spectrum Southeast, LLC (Charter Communications)
Davie County: Yadkin Valley TMC (Yadtel | Zirrus)
Iredell County: Yadkin Valley TMC (Yadtel | Zirrus)
Madison County: French Broad Electric Membership Corp.
Polk County: Spectrum Southeast, LLC (Charter Communications)
Rowan County: Yadkin Valley TMC (Yadtel | Zirrus)
Stokes County: RiverStreet Communications of NC, Inc. (RiverStreet Networks)
Transylvania County: ZITEL LLC
Union County: Windstream North Carolina, LLC (Windstream)
Yadkin County: Yadkin Valley TMC (Yadtel | Zirrus)

“All North Carolina communities, families and businesses need access to reliable and affordable high-speed internet,” Cooper said. “This round of grants means more North Carolinians will be able to take advantage of opportunities to learn, work, access health care and connect to the world.”

According to Cooper, the GREAT program provided grants through funding from the federal American Rescue Plan Act. NCDIT awarded over $23.4 million in GREAT grants to internet service providers in 12 counties on July 18. They added that they will continue to make awards using the remaining $350 million that the GREAT program has.

“We are excited to continue getting these GREAT grant awards out as quickly as possible so providers can begin work to connect North Carolinians across the state to high-speed internet,” said NCDIT Secretary and State Chief Information Officer Jim Weaver. “Our team is continuing to work to get more grants out the door to get more people connected.”