North Carolina Gov. Stein Announces $58M High-Speed Internet Expansion Across 26 Counties

Governor Josh Stein announced over $58 million in funding through the Completing Access to Broadband (CAB) program to connect more than 10,000 households and businesses across 26 North Carolina counties with high-speed internet. The initiative is funded by more than $41 million from the federal American Rescue Plan and over $17 million from selected broadband providers, including Brightspeed, Spectrum Southeast, Windstream North Carolina, and Yadkin Valley Telephone Membership Corporation. Key counties benefiting include Bladen, Columbus, Cabarrus, Chatham, Chowan, Granville, Guilford, Iredell, and Rowan, with significant portions of eligible locations targeted for connectivity. The program aims to provide speeds of at least 100 Mbps download and upload, helping bridge the digital divide and supporting telehealth, education, business growth, and communication across rural and underserved areas. North Carolina Department of Information Technology and the General Assembly are also involved in supporting these historic investments. Officials emphasize that partnerships among counties, the state, and internet providers are crucial to expanding broadband access statewide.