Company’s multi-million-dollar investment will give more than 7,000 locations blazing fast internet
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — July 2, 2024 — Brightspeed, the nation’s fourth largest fiber broadband builder focused on empowering more homes with ultrafast, reliable internet, announced that construction is underway to connect thousands of southern Caldwell County residents to Brightspeed Fiber Internet. The company is currently working to connect more than 7,000 families and businesses in and around Granite Falls. This comes just weeks after the company announced its fiber internet build for 35,000 residents in neighboring Catawba County.
Additionally, Brightspeed was recently awarded $51.8 million in grants to expand its state-of-the-art fiber broadband network to even more North Carolina residents and small businesses. The N.C. Department of Information Technology’s (NCDIT) Division of Broadband and Digital Equity Completing Access to Broadband (CAB) funds will help fund the expansion of Brightspeed’s fiber network build to nearly 21,000 more locations across the state.
Together, the CAB program funds and Growing Rural Economies with Access to Technology (GREAT) grants awarded to Brightspeed provide approximately $177 million in funding to help connect approximately 81,000 North Carolina households and businesses across 41 counties to its blazing fast network. This brings Brightspeed’s total commitment in its home state to more than 880,000 fiber-enabled locations.
What to Expect During Construction
Residents across the community will start to see Brightspeed trucks in their local neighborhoods as crews work to bring people online. Brightspeed’s highest priority is working quickly and efficiently within these local communities, keeping safety at the forefront.
North Carolinians can check fiber availability in their area by visiting www.brightspeed.com/brightspeed-fiber-internet/ and signing up to receive alerts when service is available at their location. Once connected, customers can expect straightforward bills, easy-to-understand plans and internet connections that just work.
The Foothills are Getting the Best in Broadband
The Brightspeed Fiber Internet network leverages the latest XGS-PON (10-Gigabit Symmetric Passive Optical Network) technology to bring multi-gig-speed capabilities and consistent responsiveness that enable multi-device households to connect, work, study, stream, communicate and game efficiently and reliably in North Carolina.
Brightspeed Fiber is More Than Just Internet
Put simply, high-speed internet equals opportunity for households and businesses alike, and access to fast, reliable and affordable internet and Wi-Fi will help close the rural-urban digital divide. That’s why Brightspeed is building its smart, fiber optics-based network in communities around Caldwell County — so residents and business owners have the reliable connectivity they need to work, learn, play and thrive.
Brightspeed is already investing $2 billion in deploying next-generation fiber-optic technology to build a more reliable, super-fast broadband internet network that will reach more than three million homes and businesses across 20 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 more than 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.
