Company already making multi-billion-dollar investment to bridge digital divide, funding award brings total in grant funding to more than $227M across 15 states
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — August 28, 2024 — Brightspeed, one of the nation’s largest fiber broadband builders focused on empowering more homes with ultrafast, reliable internet, announced that it has been awarded $11,358,720 to expand its state-of-the-art Brightspeed Fiber Internet network to even more locations in the state.
“We have an unwavering commitment to bridging the digital divide as we work to bring our fiber broadband network to communities in Ohio where residents previously had limited access to quality high-speed internet services,” said Tom Simone, Brightspeed state and local government affairs director in Ohio. “We already offer Brightspeed Fiber Internet to nearly 140,000 families and businesses in Ohio. Now, thanks to this funding, we can further expand our planned network build to give more Ohioans the connectivity they need to learn, work and for their businesses to thrive.”
Brightspeed’s multi-year investment to connect more than 380,000 locations across the state of Ohio to Brightspeed Fiber Internet. As part of the second round of the Ohio Residential Broadband Expansion Grant (ORBEG) program funded through the American Rescue Plan Act, the Broadband Expansion Authority authorized BroadbandOhio to provide Brightspeed funding to augment its planned fiber network build by more than 5,000 additional locations in Allen, Ashtabula, Columbiana, Knox, Mahoning, Shelby and Trumbull counties.
Brightspeed is making a multi-billion-dollar investment to deploy next-generation fiber-optic technology, creating a reliable, super-fast broadband internet network that will reach more than four million homes and businesses across its footprint. In addition, Brightspeed continues to pursue additional state and federal funding including BEAD Program funds to augment its current fiber network build plan to help close the state’s digital divide. The company has been awarded more than $227 million in local, state and federal grants and funds to extend its planned fiber broadband network build to more homes and businesses in 15 states.
About Brightspeed
Headquartered in Charlotte, N.C. and with assets and associated operations in 20 states, Brightspeed provides broadband and telecommunications services through a network platform capable of serving more than 6.5 million homes and businesses. Our 4,000 employees are committed to building a future where more communities benefit from a more connected life, deploying a state-of-the-art fiber network and a customer experience that makes being connected as simple as it should be. For more information, please visit www.brightspeed.com.
