Fast, secure, and uninterrupted internet access fuels productivity, learning, commerce, and communication. Yet across North Carolina, large portions of rural and underserved areas continue to face significant connectivity challenges-lacking the infrastructure to support modern bandwidth demands. This disparity limits opportunities, isolates communities, and hinders local economies.

RiverStreet Networks steps directly into that gap. With a mission rooted in expanding fiber-optic infrastructure, the company delivers future-ready internet solutions to the regions other providers often overlook. From mountain towns to coastal plains, RiverStreet is reshaping digital access across North Carolina-one mile of fiber at a time.

Building Connections Across North Carolina: Inside RiverStreet Networks

From Regional Roots to Statewide Reach

RiverStreet Networks began as a regional provider but has steadily grown into a major player in North Carolina's broadband landscape. Backed by its parent company, Wilkes Communications, it emerged with a mission to bring modern connectivity to communities overlooked by traditional telecom providers. The company has evolved with each passing year, expanding from telephone and DSL services into cutting-edge fiber internet infrastructure.

Mission-Driven Expansion in Underserved Areas

The company's vision is rooted in eliminating broadband inequity. RiverStreet Networks directly targets rural and suburban areas where fiber internet is either unreliable or entirely unavailable. Rather than focusing on urban centers already saturated with service options, RiverStreet prioritizes building fiber networks in small towns, farming communities, and mountain regions that have historically lacked access to high-speed connectivity.

Strategic planning pairs with community engagement to ensure each expansion aligns with local needs. The model combines infrastructure investment with a long-term commitment to regional development. Every mile of fiber laid is part of a broader ambition-to reshape North Carolina's digital future one county at a time.

Comprehensive Services for Homes and Businesses

RiverStreet doesn't stop at internet. The company's service portfolio spans a comprehensive suite of telecommunications offerings tailored to both individual and commercial users.

• Residential Internet: Symmetrical fiber speeds that support streaming, gaming, distance learning, and remote work.
• Business Solutions: Scalable data and voice packages designed for small enterprises and large organizations alike.
• VoIP and Voice Services: Digital phone services with enhanced features, call management tools, and superior sound quality.
• Data Networking: Customized networking solutions for multi-site organizations, ISPs, and government institutions.
• Smart Home Integration: Support for connected home systems, including security, automation, and IoT devices.

This integrated approach allows RiverStreet Networks to serve as a single source for digital infrastructure in both homes and workplaces, reinforcing its role as a transformative force in North Carolina's connectivity landscape.

The Power of Fiber: Why Fiber Internet Matters

How Fiber Optics Work: The Technology Behind the Speed

Fiber optic internet uses thin strands of glass or plastic-each no wider than a human hair-to transmit data as pulses of light. Unlike copper-based cables that rely on electricity, fiber optics eliminate signal interference and drastically reduce latency. Data travels close to the speed of light, providing a stable connection even across long distances.

A standard optical fiber contains a core, cladding, and protective coating. Light signals bounce along the core through a process called total internal reflection. Because of this method, nearly 100% of the signal reaches its destination, resulting in exceptionally fast and consistent performance.

Fiber vs. DSL, Cable, and Satellite: The Performance Gap

DSL, cable, and satellite internet each come with limitations that fiber optics overcome. Here's how they compare:

• Speed: Fiber can deliver symmetric speeds-1 Gbps download and upload is common-while DSL maxes out around 100 Mbps download and much slower uploads. Cable offers faster speeds than DSL, but still can't match fiber for upload performance. Satellite internet lags considerably due to higher latency caused by signal travel through orbit.
• Reliability: Fiber resists environmental disruptions like electrical interference and weather, which frequently compromise DSL and satellite connections. Stormy skies or shared cable bandwidth during peak hours often degrade non-fiber services.
• Scalability: Fiber infrastructure supports vast increases in demand without major upgrades. Cable networks require node-splitting to handle additional users, and DSL is limited by distance from service hubs. Satellite capacity is constrained by orbital bandwidth and can't be easily scaled.

What Fiber Internet Does for Households and Businesses

Households experience instant benefits with fiber internet. Downloading 4K movies in seconds, organizing group video calls without lag, and connecting dozens of smart devices simultaneously-all happen seamlessly on a fiber network. Upload speeds match download speeds, eliminating slow backups to cloud storage and making social media content uploads smoother and faster.

Remote workers and entrepreneurs in North Carolina gain a competitive edge with fiber. For example, a high-resolution Zoom call requires about 3.8 Mbps upload-a demand easily met and exceeded by fiber plans. Large files and collaborative cloud-based tools such as CAD, Adobe Creative Cloud, or real-time data analytics platforms operate with minimal delay.

Businesses benefit even more. Fiber delivers scalable bandwidth, which keeps up with growth. A small business that adds VoIP systems, security cameras, and robust ERP software does not need to overhaul its entire network. Performance remains stable during peak operating hours-critical for retail locations, logistics centers, and healthcare providers where uptime directly impacts revenue and service.

RiverStreet Fiber Services: Fast, Reliable, and Expanding

RiverStreet Fiber Internet in North Carolina delivers a robust suite of services engineered to meet the digital demands of households and businesses alike. With a foundation built on a symmetrical fiber-optic infrastructure, users experience seamless upload and download performance, enabling smoother video conferencing, faster cloud access, and uninterrupted streaming.

Symmetrical High-Speed Internet

The cornerstone of RiverStreet's offering is fiber internet with symmetrical speeds-upload and download rates are identical, ensuring consistency. Whether uploading large design files or participating in a real-time telehealth session, performance remains steady. Residential packages commonly offer up to 1 Gbps in both directions, while enterprise solutions can be customized for even greater throughput.

Connectivity Designed for Business

Small and mid-sized businesses benefit from enterprise-tier reliability paired with local service responsiveness. RiverStreet provides:

• Dedicated connections that eliminate congestion during peak hours.
• Static IP options for remote access, hosting servers, or running VoIP systems.
• Scalability from 100 Mbps to multi-Gigabit speeds without infrastructure overhaul.

Each business-grade plan includes service level agreements (SLAs), uptime guarantees, and professional installation handled by RiverStreet's in-house technicians, not third-party contractors.

Tailored Internet Packages

Every household and organization has different bandwidth needs. RiverStreet avoids one-size-fits-all models. Instead, customers choose from a tiered portfolio of fiber plans with the flexibility to scale up as demands grow. Gamers benefit from low-latency configurations, remote workers gain VPN-ready bandwidth, and content creators upload enormous data sets without throttle limits.

Smart Wi-Fi and Home Network Tools

Inside the home, RiverStreet delivers more than a modem. Smart Wi-Fi options include:

• Whole-home mesh systems to eliminate dead zones from attic to basement.
• App-based network control for managing users, parental settings, and security alerts.
• 24/7 remote support to troubleshoot connectivity without waiting for technician visits.

These tools ensure full-speed access from smart TVs to voice assistants, with unified control from a smartphone dashboard.

Expanding Access: RiverStreet Fiber Coverage Across North Carolina

Serving Communities Throughout the State

RiverStreet Networks delivers fiber internet service across a growing number of regions in North Carolina, with a strong focus on ensuring connectivity reaches underserved and rural areas. Current coverage includes significant portions of the following counties:

• Wilkes County - One of the earliest hubs of RiverStreet's fiber deployment, with widespread coverage across residential and commercial zones.
• Surry County - High-speed fiber is available in Dobson, Mount Airy, and surrounding communities.
• Albemarle Region - Service extends through areas in Bertie, Chowan, and Perquimans Counties, bringing reliable connections along the coastal plain.
• Rockingham and Stokes Counties - RiverStreet continues to develop its presence in the Piedmont area, targeting communities with limited broadband options.

Through targeted buildouts and strategic partnerships, RiverStreet also covers parts of Ashe, Watauga, and Caswell Counties. These deployments often include both overhead and underground fiber construction, tailored to local terrain and infrastructure.

Focused Investment in Rural Connectivity

The company has prioritized rural North Carolina in its expansion plans, addressing long-standing broadband gaps in remote and economically challenged areas. Since 2020, RiverStreet has added over 500 miles of new fiber lines in communities with populations under 10,000 residents. New fiber builds have been rolled out in municipalities such as Sparta in Alleghany County and Robbins in Moore County-regions where legacy networks failed to support modern data demands.

Projects frequently align with regional development goals. For example, in Halifax County, RiverStreet has coordinated with local economic development agencies to prioritize industrial zones and educational facilities for faster deployment.

Data-Driven Strategy in Fiber Expansion

RiverStreet evaluates fiber buildout locations using a combination of engineering feasibility studies, community demand modeling, and demographic analysis. Metrics such as household density, availability of rights-of-way, proximity to existing fiber backbone routes, and underserved status based on FCC broadband maps guide deployment decisions.

Public interest drives many of the company's decisions. Community engagement forums, customer pre-registration data, and local government input shape project priorities. Areas that demonstrate strong demand through neighborhood surveys or municipal requests often move quickly into the planning phase.

Every mile of fiber added reflects a deliberate strategy: reach the residents and businesses most in need of a reliable, future-proof connection-regardless of zip code.

Engineering Connectivity: RiverStreet's Infrastructure & Growth Strategy

Building Next-Generation Broadband Networks

Developing broadband infrastructure in North Carolina demands far more than laying fiber-optic cables-it requires precision engineering, logistics mastery, and a deep understanding of local terrain and community needs. At RiverStreet, the approach to fiber deployment integrates civil construction expertise with advanced network design, ensuring every mile of cable delivers on performance, reliability, and longevity.

Every network build starts with a comprehensive feasibility and geospatial analysis. Engineers map out optimal fiber routes, taking into account elevation, soil composition, and proximity to existing utility corridors. Where overhead deployment is most effective, fiber runs along poles maintained through joint-use agreements. In dense residential or urban areas, crews use directional boring and micro-trenching to deploy fiber underground without disrupting roads or landscapes.

Investments in Scalable Fiber Infrastructure

RiverStreet has committed millions in capital toward building an infrastructure backbone capable of supporting gigabit and multi-gigabit speeds. The network architecture leverages a Passive Optical Network (PON) design that supports high bandwidth with fewer active electronic components in the field. This design reduces potential points of failure and lowers maintenance costs while increasing scalability.

Each new hub or central office is equipped with carrier-grade equipment, including OLTs (Optical Line Terminals), to facilitate consistent and symmetrical data transmission. Fiber links between regional offices push data via Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM), maximizing throughput across the physical medium while allowing upgrades to bandwidth capacity as demand grows.

Partnering with Local Experts for Deployment

RiverStreet's network expansion relies on strategic collaboration with North Carolina-based construction teams and network engineers. These partnerships accelerate deployment timelines, support regional workforce development, and ensure on-the-ground knowledge informs every construction phase.

• Field engineering teams survey and validate real-time conditions before trenching or aerial work begins.
• Construction crews use GPS-guided excavation and fiber-blowing techniques to lay thousands of feet of line per day.
• Network provisioning specialists configure and test each customer node, ensuring plug-and-play activation with minimal downtime.

Through a synergistic approach combining internal technical leadership with vetted local expertise, RiverStreet is not only accelerating fiber deployment but embedding long-term support infrastructure within the communities it serves.

Driving Growth: RiverStreet Fiber Internet's Impact on North Carolina Communities

How High-Speed Fiber Fuels Local Economies

Access to fast, reliable internet accelerates business innovation, stimulates job creation, and removes geographic barriers to economic participation. In rural and underserved areas across North Carolina, RiverStreet Fiber Internet connects local economies to digital marketplaces once out of reach.

• Supporting Local Businesses and Remote Work: Fiber-optic internet with symmetrical upload and download speeds provides the bandwidth capacity needed for video conferencing, cloud computing, and high-volume transactions. Small businesses in towns like Wilkesboro and Sparta have adopted e-commerce platforms, expanded customer bases beyond state lines, and streamlined operations using these capabilities. Remote professionals living in areas like Ashe County can now fully participate in the global workforce without relocating.
• Attracting Investment and Fostering Entrepreneurship: Investors weigh digital infrastructure alongside traditional factors like workforce and location. Communities with fiber connectivity become viable options for tech startups, co-working spaces, and advanced manufacturing facilities. In Rockingham County, new business registrations have risen in tandem with improved broadband access, following RiverStreet's infrastructure deployment.
• Empowering Public Services and Infrastructure: Fiber connections support advanced use cases in education, healthcare, and government operations. Telehealth adoption in counties like Bertie and Gates accelerated as clinics and residents gained access to gigabit-speed internet. Public safety agencies use fiber for real-time data sharing, while municipal governments deploy cloud-based services more effectively, reducing overhead and increasing civic engagement.

Community-Level Impact: Evidence from the Field

In Alleghany County, after RiverStreet's fiber buildout, local schools reported increased bandwidth utilization across digital learning platforms. This shift directly improved student engagement and remote access capabilities, especially during periods of hybrid learning.

In Winton, the expansion of high-speed coverage allowed a newly opened workforce development center to offer virtual job training programs supported by real-time collaboration tools. Unemployment claims in the area dropped by 11% within 12 months, according to data from the North Carolina Department of Commerce.

Fiber also became a catalyst for revitalizing downtown retail spaces in towns like West Jefferson. Local entrepreneurs launched creative studios, marketing firms, and remote consulting services operating fully on RiverStreet's gigabit networks.

Closing the Connectivity Gap: RiverStreet's Commitment to Digital Inclusion in North Carolina

Access for All, Not Just Some

RiverStreet Fiber Internet in North Carolina builds its foundation on a clear and unwavering mission: extend high-speed fiber access to every resident, regardless of zip code or socioeconomic status. From the Appalachian highlands to the Outer Banks, RiverStreet prioritizes inclusion, pushing broadband infrastructure deep into traditionally underserved rural corridors. This effort doesn't just expand access-it removes long-standing digital barriers that have segregated opportunity by geography and income.

Programs That Don't Just Connect-They Empower

Delivering internet infrastructure is just the start. RiverStreet follows up with community-based programs designed to help residents use that access to its fullest potential. Local digital literacy workshops teach everything from basic web navigation to cybersecurity hygiene. Outreach partnerships with schools, libraries, and community centers ensure that marginalized populations gain the skills needed to thrive in an online environment.

• Senior-focused training sessions demystify video calling, healthcare portals, and online banking.
• Youth tech clubs in partnership with schools encourage STEM learning through hands-on coding and digital storytelling projects.
• Mobile internet labs embedded in community vans bring connectivity and coaching directly to remote zones.

Enabling Equity in Education, Healthcare, and Civic Life

Within RiverStreet's operational model, fiber isn't just a utility-it's an equalizer. In education, fiber bandwidth supports seamless remote learning, enabling students in rural areas to access the same cloud-based platforms and real-time instruction as their metropolitan peers. In telehealth, fiber reduces appointment wait times and increases access to specialists, particularly critical in counties with limited healthcare infrastructure.

Civic engagement sees a lift as well. High-speed access enhances participation in local governance, from virtual town halls to online voter registration drives. Residents no longer need to travel long distances just to stay informed or exercise their rights-they can connect, contribute, and participate from their own homes.

Redefining Who Gets to Be Connected

Equity in internet access means more than just laying cable-it means reshaping what inclusion looks like statewide. RiverStreet Fiber Internet in North Carolina continues to redefine the digital map, not just by drawing new coverage lines, but by making sure everyone on the map has the tools to engage, grow, and thrive.

Driving Broadband Growth Through Local Partnerships

Strategic Collaboration with Municipalities and Counties

RiverStreet Fiber Internet North Carolina advances broadband access by working directly with local governments. City councils, county commissions, and utility boards play an integral role in accelerating deployment through permitting support, coordinated planning, and infrastructure alignment.

By engaging municipalities from project conception through implementation, RiverStreet ensures network expansion aligns with local priorities-particularly in areas previously underserved or completely unserved. With active involvement from local leadership, projects move forward faster and deliver higher adoption rates once fiber is live in the ground.

Public-Private Partnership in Action: Wilkes County

One standout example is RiverStreet's long-running relationship with Wilkes County. In collaboration with county officials, RiverStreet planned and executed a fiber-to-the-home buildout that targeted rural residents lacking reliable connectivity. The county supported the effort through a joint broadband task force, identification of target zones, and public outreach during installations. The project generated measurable outcomes: significantly improved internet speeds in affected areas and higher home internet adoption rates within 18 months of launch.

This public-private partnership model has since been replicated in parts of Ashe, Yancey, and Caswell counties where similar dynamics required close coordination between RiverStreet's engineering teams and local agencies.

Working with Nonprofit Organizations to Expand Reach

Beyond government, RiverStreet partners with nonprofits focused on digital equity. Collaborations with regional organizations like the NC Broadband Infrastructure Office and the Rural Center allow RiverStreet to extend its reach further into marginalized communities. These partnerships enable streamlined grant applications, community readiness assessments, and pre-installation education to boost household-level engagement.

Guidance on Grants and Navigating Funding Opportunities

Securing broadband funding often requires sophisticated technical language, rigorous cost modeling, and documented community need. RiverStreet steps in with expertise and administrative support, helping local governments and nonprofits design successful proposals that meet federal and state requirements.

• Helps municipalities prepare data-driven applications to the North Carolina GREAT Grant Program
• Supports counties applying to USDA ReConnect and NTIA Broadband Equity programs
• Provides GIS mapping, engineering assessments, and community statistics to strengthen submissions

By leveraging RiverStreet's technical resources and policy knowledge, communities have increased their access to broadband-related investments-turning funding into fiber connections that reach homes, farms, and small businesses where large carriers failed to build.

Accelerating Connectivity: Leveraging State and Federal Broadband Funding

Scaling high-speed fiber infrastructure across North Carolina requires strategic funding, and RiverStreet Fiber Internet has actively secured both federal and state-level resources to speed up this expansion. By aligning operations with key public digital equity goals, RiverStreet unlocks capital from nationwide and state-specific initiatives designed to close internet access gaps-especially in underserved rural regions.

Securing Federal Support Through BEAD and NTIA Programs

The Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program, administered by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), allocates $42.45 billion in funding across states. North Carolina is receiving approximately $1.5 billion from BEAD over five years, aimed at expanding last-mile broadband to areas previously left behind by private ISPs. RiverStreet meets critical eligibility criteria by operating as a nonprofit ISP with a proven rural service record and has submitted proposed deployment plans under this initiative.

Additionally, the NTIA's Enabling Middle Mile Broadband Infrastructure Program opens up further funding for backbone expansion. RiverStreet aggressively pursues these grants to underpin its network strength-laying high-capacity fiber paths that remove bottlenecks between rural exchanges and core internet routing points.

Leveraging North Carolina's GREAT Grant Program

At the state level, RiverStreet is a qualified recipient of the Growing Rural Economies with Access to Technology (GREAT) Grant program. This competitive grant initiative, administered by the N.C. Department of Information Technology, specifically targets tier 1 and tier 2 counties. In the fiscal year 2022-2023 alone, the state awarded roughly $206 million through GREAT. RiverStreet has secured multiple awards, including high-priority projects in counties like Alleghany, Caswell, and Person.

• GREAT Grants fund up to 85% of total project costs in eligible areas.
• RiverStreet's community-based approach increases competitiveness for these awards.
• Awarded projects typically require buildout completion within two years, which drives rapid network construction.

Deploying Funds to Expand Fiber Access Areas

With capital sourced from BEAD, NTIA, and GREAT programs, RiverStreet converts public investment into measurable deployment outcomes. New fiber routes operationalized through funding rapidly increase coverage in previously neglected zip codes. In 2023, federal and state program financing helped RiverStreet deploy hundreds of miles of fiber-optic cabling reaching unserved households.

This funding not only expedites physical infrastructure-such as underground trenching and pole attachment-but also supports permitting, engineering surveys, and customer onboarding operations. RiverStreet also prioritizes workforce scaling, training field technicians and support staff to meet accelerated deployment timelines tied to grant obligations.

Want to see how these efforts impact your local area? Explore RiverStreet's interactive service map to track active projects and future construction timelines across North Carolina.