Governor Josh Stein has announced a significant investment of $48 million in the Completing Access to Broadband (CAB) program. This initiative aims to connect 14,514 households and businesses across 22 counties in North Carolina to high-speed internet.
“Connecting all North Carolinians, especially in our rural areas, opens doors of opportunity,” stated Governor Stein. “I am proud to continue to bring high-speed internet access to all corners of our state.”
NCDIT Secretary and State Chief Information Officer Teena Piccione highlighted the importance of this development: “With reliable high-speed internet, North Carolinians can access online services necessary for remote work, virtual education, and telehealth, ensuring they can fully participate in the modern digital world. By creating a more connected state, we are investing in the future prosperity and resiliency of our communities.”
The funding for these projects includes over $33 million from the federal American Rescue Plan awarded by NCDIT and more than $14 million from selected broadband providers. The CAB program’s procurement process involves collaboration between counties and NCDIT to identify areas lacking access, solicit proposals from prequalified internet service providers, and promptly make awards. Awardees must provide high-speed service with speeds meeting or exceeding 100 Mbps download and upload.
This announcement is part of Governor Stein’s ongoing efforts to close the digital divide. Today’s awards build on previous investments through the Growing Rural Economies with Access to Technology (GREAT) grants and earlier CAB projects that have connected over 230,000 households and businesses in North Carolina to high-speed internet.
For further details about the NCDIT Division of Broadband and Digital Opportunity, interested parties can visit ncbroadband.gov.
