In a significant stride toward increasing digital connectivity in North Carolina, the N.C. Department of Information Technology's Division of Broadband and Digital Equity announced the extension of high-speed internet service through its Completing Access to Broadband (CAB) program, promising to reach approximately 67,724 homes and businesses in 37 counties. The announcement of Department of Information Technology details scopes of work with a focus on including unserved and underserved areas, paving the way for more residents to tap into the potential of reliable internet access.
The scope of this phase encompasses counties across North Carolina such as Avery, with 507 locations, and Macon County with a notable 3,367 locations; it also reaches Lee, Beaufort, Buncombe, and many others scaling up the state's digital infrastructure and it was previously complemented by an initiative on Nov. 26 that proposed extending broadband to an added 93,674 eligible locations, integrating public-private partnerships are integral to this development. This initiative aligns with Governor Roy Cooper's objective to close the digital divide, as it is funded by federal dollars from the American Rescue Plan implemented by the Biden-Harris administration.
Eligible internet service providers which are already prequalified for state broadband programs can submit proposals to service the laid out areas in each county; this collaboration framework is designed to align the interests and capabilities of counties, state government and the private sector in delivering widespread broadband deployment. The CAB program received a funding boost amounting to $400 million from the American Rescue Plan and facilitated by N.C. Session Law 2024-55 enacted last month, counties are now exempted from matching funds requirements for these projects, effectively reducing their fiscal burdens and accelerating the process.
From yesterday through February. 17, 2025, interested stakeholders can find each county's individual scope of work published at Division of Broadband and Digital Equity, providing transparency and comprehensive insight into project expectations, the evaluation criteria for selecting internet service providers, and detailed instructions for proposal submission. In addition to these resources, NC One Map's CAB Planning Tool offers an accessible map pinpointing eligible locations while last Monday - later this week, Friday represents a protest period during which providers can raise issues about areas they currently serve, ensuring that the program's expansion focuses on genuinely underserved regions.
