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Brightspeed Secures State Funding to Expand Fibre Network in North Carolina

In communities across North Carolina, households and businesses continue to face the consequences of limited internet connectivity — sluggish speeds, unstable access, and digital exclusion. The disparity is particularly stark in rural and underserved areas, where slow broadband impedes education, job opportunities, and healthcare access. This digital divide has carved a fault line between urban centers and remote counties, underscoring a statewide need for expanded fibre infrastructure that can deliver consistent, high-speed internet.

With backing through new state funding, Brightspeed is set to change that trajectory. By accelerating the rollout of its fibre network, the company will directly address connectivity gaps and help pave the way for equitable digital access. The expansion promises faster, more reliable service that aligns with modern demands — from video conferencing to cloud-based learning and telemedicine. For thousands of North Carolinians currently stuck on the margins of digital access, Brightspeed’s initiative marks a decisive shift toward full participation in today’s connected economy.

Brightspeed: Driving Next-Generation Connectivity Across North Carolina

Background on Brightspeed's Telecommunication Services

Brightspeed stands among the largest incumbent local exchange carriers (ILECs) in the United States, operating across 20 states with a strong presence in the Midwest and Southeastern regions. Formed through the acquisition of assets from Lumen Technologies in 2022, Brightspeed currently operates one of the nation’s largest wireline footprints. Its core focus lies in delivering high-speed fibre and traditional internet services, especially to areas that have historically remained underserved.

Unlike legacy telecom operators encumbered by aging infrastructure, Brightspeed prioritizes fibre-to-the-premises (FTTP) systems. This choice eliminates longstanding limitations of copper networks and shifts the company into the high-capacity, low-latency future of broadband access. With its headquarters in Charlotte, North Carolina, and leadership composed of telecom veterans from AT&T, CenturyLink, and Charter Communications, Brightspeed merges experience with an ambitious operational scale.

Brightspeed's Commitment to Expanding Internet Access

Connectivity gaps persist in North Carolina, particularly across rural and low-density regions. Brightspeed recognizes these voids not only as business opportunities but as avenues to close the digital divide. In 2023, the company announced plans to invest over $2 billion in deploying fibre infrastructure across its service territories, including targeted investments in multiple North Carolina counties.

The company’s fibre initiative spans thousands of miles of new cable installations and integrates state-of-the-art passive optical network (PON) technology. This infrastructure supports symmetrical speeds reaching up to 2 Gbps, opening pathways for telehealth, online education, remote work, and digital entrepreneurship in areas that previously lacked even stable connectivity.

Brightspeed outlines its deployment strategies in collaboration with state broadband offices and community stakeholders. The aim isn't simply network expansion—it’s regional transformation driven by scalable and future-compatible internet architecture.

Vision for a Connected Future in North Carolina

Brightspeed's leadership frames broadband infrastructure as core to modern infrastructure—no less foundational than roads or electricity. Their roadmap for North Carolina envisions fibre as the baseline standard, not a luxury. Beyond urban centers, they’re laying groundwork in Tier 2 and Tier 3 counties, where connectivity rates remain below the national average.

By 2026, Brightspeed intends to bring fibre access to over 3 million homes and small businesses across its footprint, with a significant portion located in North Carolina. These deployments are not one-off projects; instead, they are part of a phased, multi-year plan tied closely to economic development objectives and state-level digital equity frameworks.

What happens when public policy aligns with private capital and technical ambition? Brightspeed plans to show exactly that. Their model operates on scale, but tailored locally—fibre down rural roads, full gig-speed in isolated communities, and long-term viability for regions previously left off the digital map.

Brightspeed's Expansion Plans Unveiled

Accelerating Fibre Network Development Across the State

Brightspeed has launched a multi-year initiative to deploy fiber-optic infrastructure across underserved and unserved communities in North Carolina. The company is targeting regions with historically limited access to high-speed broadband, aiming to bridge the digital divide through large-scale installation of fiber-to-the-premises (FTTP) technology.

This expansion reflects Brightspeed’s strategic shift from legacy copper-based systems to modern, scalable fiber. By powering homes and businesses with symmetrical gigabit-speed connections, Brightspeed will enable vastly improved internet reliability and performance. These capabilities support critical applications such as telehealth, remote learning, small business operations, and cloud-based workloads.

Scope and Scale of the Network Buildout

The company’s fibre rollout spans urban fringe areas, small towns, and rural communities that lack adequate broadband. Brightspeed plans to bring fiber connectivity to more than 120,000 locations in North Carolina as part of its initial deployment phase. Longer term, the company’s goal is to serve over 1 million homes and businesses across its 20-state footprint, with North Carolina playing a central role in that effort.

Brightspeed applies a phased approach: design and survey work leads to make-ready construction, which is followed by high-speed fiber installation and customer migration. This systematic process ensures consistent project delivery while minimizing service disruptions.

State Participation and Funding Integration

Support from the North Carolina Department of Information Technology’s Division of Broadband and Digital Equity significantly enhances the viability of Brightspeed’s expansion. Through recent grant awards under the Growing Rural Economies with Access to Technology (GREAT) program, Brightspeed secured over $90 million in state broadband grant funding.

This capital injection reduces upfront infrastructure costs, catalyzes fiber deployment in economically distressed areas, and aligns with statewide goals to deliver affordable broadband to every household. Most funding awards are structured as public-private cost share agreements, where Brightspeed is required to contribute matching investment to qualify for state dollars.

These grants prioritize gigabit-capable technologies and enforce strict compliance requirements, including timely build schedules and performance benchmarks. By embedding funding into its project timeline, Brightspeed ensures long-term sustainability and accountability.

The Catalyst Behind Connectivity: How State Funding Accelerates Broadband Infrastructure

Understanding Public-Private Partnerships in Telecommunications

Public-private partnerships (PPPs) have become a cornerstone of nationwide broadband expansion efforts—especially in states like North Carolina. By leveraging the strengths of both sectors, these collaborations amplify investment capability, streamline deployment logistics, and anchor long-term accountability.

In telecommunications, a PPP typically involves direct state investment in infrastructure projects managed and executed by private companies. The state provides funding or tax incentives, while the private partner handles design, deployment, and network operations. This model reduces financial risk for the private operator and ensures public priorities, like rural access and affordability, are addressed up-front.

Rather than building government-owned networks, states now work alongside companies with existing infrastructure and operational expertise. This ensures that expansion initiatives avoid duplication, scale quickly, and become financially sustainable. North Carolina has prioritized this model to bridge existing gaps in internet availability, especially in underserved rural counties.

Specifics of the State Funding Agreement with Brightspeed

Brightspeed will receive $90 million in state grant funding under the North Carolina Growing Rural Economies with Access to Technology (GREAT) Grant Program. Administered by the North Carolina Department of Information Technology’s Division of Broadband and Digital Equity, this program aims to provide high-speed internet access to regions that currently lack adequate service—defined by federal thresholds of less than 25 Mbps download and 3 Mbps upload speeds.

The funding allocation to Brightspeed is part of a broader $77 million awarded in 2023 across 33 counties and over 15 providers, with Brightspeed receiving the largest single tranche. These funds are contingent upon a 50% cost match by Brightspeed, increasing the total investment to at least $180 million. The agreement mandates that all connections funded by the grants deliver symmetrical speeds of at least 100 Mbps, aligning with Federal Communications Commission (FCC) standards for modern broadband.

According to Brightspeed, this funding will accelerate deployments to over 38,000 unserved and underserved homes and businesses in Phase I. Buildout must meet strict milestones: grantees are required to initiate construction within six months of the award and reach substantial completion within two years. This timeline ensures network access doesn’t remain a distant objective but becomes a near-term reality for the communities involved.

These agreements also include monitoring and accountability clauses. State officials will conduct regular progress reviews, validate deployment through geospatial testing, and confirm consumer access before releasing final grant tranches. This approach anchors public dollars to measurable outcomes.

With state backing, Brightspeed won't merely fill service gaps—it will reshape digital opportunity in regions that were previously left behind.

How Federal Investment Through the IIJA Fuels Broadband Expansion in North Carolina

How the IIJA Contributes to Broadband Expansion

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), signed into law in November 2021, established a landmark $65 billion commitment to improve internet access across the United States. Of that amount, $42.45 billion was directed toward the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program, which specifically targets underserved and unserved areas. North Carolina stands as one of the prime beneficiaries of these funds due to its pronounced rural broadband gaps.

By partnering with states, the IIJA empowers both public and private entities, including telecommunications companies like Brightspeed, to compete for funding through a formal application process. This direct collaboration ensures that federal investment reaches isolated communities where infrastructure development had previously been deemed economically nonviable.

In June 2023, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) announced that North Carolina would receive $1.5 billion in BEAD program allocations. This substantial funding pool places the state among the top ten recipients nationwide, positioning it strategically for rapid broadband development over the next five years.

Allocation of Government Grants for Telecommunications Projects

Federal grants under the IIJA are not dispersed arbitrarily. Funding is guided by precise metrics—such as location-specific internet access data, population density, and existing service coverage—collected and published through the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Broadband Map. Telecommunications providers like Brightspeed undergo a rigorous vetting process based on project scope, technical viability, and alignment with state broadband priorities.

Brightspeed, operating in collaboration with North Carolina’s Growing Rural Economies with Access to Technology (GREAT) Grant Program, submitted tailored proposals to extend fibre internet access to households and small businesses currently relying on low-speed or no broadband service. These grant awards are typically structured as matching funds, requiring companies to co-invest alongside public capital. In Brightspeed’s case, this model has unlocked multimillion-dollar project commitments targeted primarily at Tier 1 and Tier 2 counties with limited private-sector investment activity.

Year-over-year, the North Carolina Department of Information Technology’s Division of Broadband and Digital Equity tracks progress by evaluating new infrastructure deployments against grant project goals. Awards are contingent upon measurable outcomes: miles of fibre laid, connections delivered, and service benchmarks met. For 2023 and 2024, this accountability structure ensures that funds tied to the IIJA accelerate real-world deployment rather than simply inflating planning budgets.

Impact and Benefits

Infused with federally-backed grants, Brightspeed’s fibre expansion will deliver scalable gigabit speeds to thousands of households, drastically shifting the digital capabilities of historically disadvantaged areas. The IIJA's design ensures that transformative impacts emerge not just from access itself but also from the affordability and reliability of new connections.

The IIJA catalyzes long-term digital equity when integrated with deployment strategies that prioritize social impact. For North Carolina, and for Brightspeed’s growing footprint within it, these grants change not just networks, but livelihoods.

How Improved Fibre Connectivity Drives Economic Growth in North Carolina

Direct Benefits to Local Businesses and Economic Growth

When Brightspeed expands fibre infrastructure across North Carolina, the local economy becomes the first to feel the effect. Small and midsize businesses gain access to high-speed internet, which accelerates digital transformation, enables e-commerce, and reduces overhead costs linked to inefficiencies in connectivity. According to a report by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), areas with access to advanced broadband see a 1.2 to 1.4% increase in employment growth over non-served areas.

This boost in connectivity shortens transaction times, allows seamless deployment of cloud-based tools, and supports robust communication channels. Retailers process online orders faster. Service providers improve response times. Manufacturers optimize logistics and digital inventory tracking. Each advantage compounds into greater productivity and revenue generation.

Increased broadband access correlates with new business formation. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce highlights that 93% of small businesses rely on high-speed internet, and areas with upgraded infrastructure show a 10% higher rate of new business registrations within just two years post-installation.

The Positive Effect on Employment and Remote Working Opportunities

North Carolina’s labour market stands to evolve rapidly as broadband reaches more homes and communities. High-speed internet opens up employment pipelines—both remote and hybrid—particularly in sectors like software development, digital marketing, customer service, education, and telehealth. Workers in Tier 2 and Tier 3 counties will access nationwide job markets without relocating.

Research from Brookings Institution found that counties with upgraded broadband infrastructure saw a 6.4% increase in telecommuting roles. This isn’t a peripheral shift; it redefines the geography of opportunity. People stay in their communities while participating in national and global markets.

Brightspeed’s expansion also supports the gig economy. From freelance tech professionals to local artisans selling products through high-bandwidth platforms, connectivity enables income diversification. Families with access to fibre can support multiple workers in a household—simultaneously engaged in remote schooling, full-time remote jobs, and online entrepreneurship.

As the network grows, so does the economic lattice that supports innovation, inclusion and remote workforce resilience—key ingredients in sustainable regional development.

Transforming Daily Life: The Human Impact of Brightspeed's Broadband Expansion

Upgraded Internet Speed and Reliability in Homes

Fibre-optic infrastructure offers persistent advantages for households across North Carolina. With Brightspeed’s expansion, residents will access gigabit-speed connections, reducing latency and enabling consistent streaming, video conferencing, and cloud-based applications. According to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), fibre connections significantly outperform traditional DSL and satellite internet, often delivering symmetrical speeds and enhancing the performance of multiple devices simultaneously.

This type of reliability shifts internet from a utility to a foundational platform for engagement—home businesses operate seamlessly, teenagers attend virtual classes without disruptions, and families videoconference with relatives in high definition. Network buffering and dropped signals become digital relics, not expected occurrences.

Supporting Education, Healthcare, and Information Access

Broadband sets the stage for more resilient education systems. With high-speed internet, students in underserved areas can fully participate in remote learning environments. They gain access to digital curricula, virtual labs, and collaborative platforms essential for today’s academic standards. A 2022 Pew Research Center report observed that students without reliable home internet face clear disadvantages in completing assignments or accessing critical learning tools. Brightspeed’s rollout directly addresses this disparity.

Telehealth use has surged since 2020, and efficient connectivity enables real-time consultations, mental health services, and remote monitoring technologies. The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services has repeatedly underlined the role of broadband in expanding access to rural health resources. With fibre in place, residents no longer drive hours for specialist consultations—they log in, share data, and receive care from their own living rooms.

Beyond structured services, there’s the everyday utility. News, public health updates, emergency alerts, civic engagement platforms—these rely on bandwidth-rich, stable connections. Access grows from a technical asset to a civic right, ensuring every household can participate fully in modern society.

Broader Implications for North Carolina

When connectivity finds its way into homes, communities evolve. Students graduate with stronger digital literacy. Older adults stay connected to health systems and social circles. Entrepreneurs tap into global markets without ever leaving their small towns.

Across North Carolina, this expansion reshapes the fabric of daily life—not by adding more technology, but by making opportunity universally available. Every household reached by Brightspeed’s fibre network steps into a more connected, more empowered tomorrow.

Connecting the Unconnected: Rural Broadband Expansion and Its Significance

Addressing the Issue of Broadband Accessibility in Rural Areas

In many rural communities across North Carolina, fast and reliable internet access has remained out of reach. According to the Federal Communications Commission’s 2023 Broadband Deployment Report, approximately 1.1 million North Carolinians still lack access to broadband internet that meets the minimum speed threshold of 25 Mbps download and 3 Mbps upload. A significant portion of these residents live in rural counties where private market investment has lagged due to lower population densities and higher infrastructure costs.

The digital divide between cities and more remote parts of the state restricts access to modern education, telemedicine, digital banking, and job opportunities. In short, broadband access isn't just about faster downloads — it's about economic mobility, access to resources, and participation in a rapidly digitizing society.

How Brightspeed's Expansion Supports Underserved Communities

Brightspeed’s initiative, bolstered by state-level funding, directly targets these underserved rural zones. Their expansion focuses on deploying fibre-to-the-premises (FTTP) infrastructure capable of delivering symmetrical speeds exceeding 1 Gbps. This technological upgrade doesn’t just meet the FCC’s minimum; it exceeds it by several magnitudes, aligning with emerging standards of internet consumption for education, remote work, healthcare, and enterprise.

By extending fibre networks into counties previously ignored by larger providers, Brightspeed introduces competition and infrastructure equity. Communities in areas like Caswell, Chatham, and Rutherford counties are part of the targeted rollout plans, according to the North Carolina Department of Information Technology. These are not isolated, symbolic upgrades; they represent hundreds of miles of physical infrastructure rerouting the state’s broadband trajectory.

Wondering what this means on the ground? Imagine students joining live remote classes with zero buffering, local clinics conducting video consultations in real time, or small businesses finally launching online storefronts. That’s not hypothetical — that’s the expected result once fibre becomes available in these zones.

The significance of this rural broadband expansion lies in its permanence and scalability. Once infrastructure is laid, it supports decades of connectivity innovation. What starts as an internet upgrade quickly compounds into long-term social and economic development. Brightspeed’s rollout won’t just fill a gap; it will level the playing field.

Charting North Carolina's Digital Future After Brightspeed’s Fiber Expansion

Projected Statewide Benefits of a Robust Fiber Network

Once Brightspeed’s fiber expansion is complete, North Carolina will experience systemic transformations across multiple sectors. Public and private institutions will operate with higher efficiency, underpinned by reliable, high-speed internet connectivity that reaches deeply into rural and underserved communities.

Access to symmetrical gigabit-speed broadband will support small business scalability, real-time healthcare delivery, modernized farming practices, and next-generation education models. With broadband speeds of up to 1 Gbps, organizations will streamline operations, remote workers will remain consistently productive, and e-commerce transactions will gain immediacy and reliability.

Increased connectivity will also enhance government digital services, enabling faster access to portals for filing taxes, applying for benefits, and participating in civic engagement initiatives. A resilient fiber backbone will stabilize digital infrastructure, a fundamental requirement for the deployment of future-ready technologies such as autonomous transit systems and smart energy networks.

Long-Term Goals for Connectivity and Digital Inclusion

North Carolina's long-range digital strategy centers on universal service availability, affordability, and adoption. The expansion of fiber networks through initiatives like Brightspeed’s project supports the state’s objective of achieving 95% high-speed internet availability by 2025, as outlined in the North Carolina Digital Equity Plan.

But infrastructure alone does not close the digital divide. Long-term efforts include investing in digital literacy programs across public libraries and schools, subsidizing monthly internet costs for low-income households through local programs aligned with the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), and incentivizing telehealth adoption in remote clinics through dedicated bandwidth guarantees.

Combined, these outcomes will solidify North Carolina’s position as a leading digitally inclusive state in the Southeast — not only closing current access gaps but building infrastructure capable of supporting the state’s future population and economic growth.

A New Era Begins for North Carolina’s Digital Infrastructure

Brightspeed's successful pursuit of state funding directly accelerates the fibre rollout that much of North Carolina has waited for. With financial backing secured, previously underserved communities now move closer to achieving parity with urban centers in digital access and speed.

From the foothills of the Appalachians to the low-lying coastal plains, fibre deployment will no longer concentrate only in high-density population zones. Instead, expanded infrastructure will reshape daily life—enabling students to learn faster, businesses to operate more efficiently, and entire towns to access services once out of reach.

The state’s commitment to broadband modernization pushes North Carolina into a position of leadership in the Southeast’s digital transformation. Brightspeed’s alignment with this vision ensures rapid, methodical deployment matched to local needs and geographic challenges.

The funding wins announced today are not just financial milestones—they mark a turning point in how connectivity defines opportunity and inclusion across North Carolina. Brightspeed isn’t merely building networks; it’s setting the foundation for sustained economic vitality and increased digital literacy statewide.