Governor Josh Stein is steering nearly $26 million into new broadband projects, a move his administration says will bring high‑speed internet to 5,161 homes and businesses in rural North Carolina across 66 counties. State officials are pitching the latest round as one more push to reach unserved and underserved communities that sit well outside the usual population hubs.
Per Gov. Josh Stein, the awards are being rolled out in coordination with the N.C. Department of Information and Technology and its broadband division. He framed the announcement as another step in a multi‑year effort to close the state's persistent digital divide.
What the awards cover
The grants come through the Completing Access to Broadband (CAB) program, which mixes federal American Rescue Plan money with county and internet provider investments to build last‑mile infrastructure. According to NCDIT, participating providers must agree to deliver high‑speed service that reliably meets or exceeds 100 Mbps download and 100 Mbps upload.
Where this fits in
State technology officials say this batch of awards stacks on top of an aggressive 2025 rollout and even larger federal funding that is still in the pipeline. In a year‑end review, the N.C. Department of Information and Technology reported that more than 42,000 homes and businesses gained access in 2025 and that additional federal programs are expected to unlock more money for projects across the state, according to NCDIT.
Timeline and local terms
The awards typically come with firm construction timelines and minimum service requirements once the buildout is complete. Local coverage of recent CAB agreements has highlighted project deadlines stretching as late as December 31, 2026, along with guarantees that service will be maintained for a set period after completion, as noted in county notices cited by outlets like The Coastland Times.
How to track the rollout
Residents who want to know whether their address is in line for an upgrade can keep an eye on award lists and maps on the state's broadband project dashboard. The broadband division posts project pages and an interactive map with scopes of work and status updates at NCDIT, and counties typically add their own details once agreements are finalized.
