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Broadband Expansion in Granville County

          NC CAB Grant Map

Completing Access to Broadband (CAB) Grant Project
In January 2024, the Granville County Board of Commissioners approved a partnership with NC Department of Information Technology (NCDIT) and Spectrum under the CAB program that will fund the construction of fiber-optic broadband infrastructure capable of servicing at least 1,530 addresses in Granville County. Granville’s contribution to this project will be $10,000, while the State of North Carolina will contribute $4 million, and Spectrum will invest $7.9 million.
The locations serviced with broadband internet are in addition to the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF) project currently underway by Spectrum that will service an additional 1,120 addresses. 

 

 

GREAT grant project map

  NC GREAT Grant  Map 

Growing Rural Economies with Access to Technology (GREAT) Grant Project
In May 2023, the Granville County Board of Commissioners approved a partnership with Brightspeed and the NC Department of Information Technology (NC DIT) to provide high speed fiber internet access to 1,914 homes and businesses in rural Granville County through the Growing Rural Economies with Access to Technology (GREAT) Grant Program. The NC GREAT Grant award totaled $4 million, and Granville County will contribute $1,338,876 (20%) of the total project cost of $6,677,752. 

 

NC DIT grant requirements for both grant projects require providers to complete the infrastructure build out within two years of the agreement date. 

To view specific address locations included in the project, access the interactive map on NC One Map.

 

   Broadband access map.

More Background Information
Granville County has proactively sought methods to bridge the high-speed internet access gap in Granville County which began in earnest with a formal Request for Qualifications in 2019. Various state laws and regulations prohibit county and city governments from providing internet services or installing infrastructure themselves, but they may partner with Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to expand access and improve service.

The NC GREAT and CAB Grant programs utilize funding that the State of North  Carolina received from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) to allow the state government and local governments to partner with willing ISPs to expand internet access to rural North Carolina to locations that do not meet the minimum Federal Communications Commission (FCC) parameters of having access to “high-speed” internet. Granville County will continue to explore all expansion opportunities and partnerships.

 

Broadband Expansion Efforts

    

Broadband Forum Held in Granville County
Representative Frank Sossamon (NC District 32 – Granville/Vance) hosted a forum on broadband connectivity efforts by the State of North Carolina at the Granville County Convention and Expo Center in September 2023. George Collier, with the North Carolina Department of Information Technology (NCDIT) presented a summary of efforts by NCDIT to partner with Granville County and internet service providers.

Additional Resources

Broadband Expansion Efforts in Granville County

NC GREAT Grant Program Website

Broadband project locations

    

NC CAB Grant Program Website

NC Broadband One Map

FCC National Broadband Map

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