ARPA at Work: Broadband Expansion
ARPA at Work: Broadband Expansion
Frontier Communications and Buncombe County Government have partnered to expand broadband fiber to nearly 1,000 unserved and underserved households from Woodfin to the Buncombe/Madison County line and east into the Reems Creek and Ox Creek valleys. This project is expected to begin in the coming months and will provide what is considered to be the most reliable internet with speeds starting at 100 megabits per second.
The project has been awarded $3.3 million by the state through the Growing Rural Economies with Access to Technology (GREAT) grant. Frontier and Buncombe County have each pledged $300,000 to the project. As part of the GREAT grant eligibility requirements, all internet service provider applicants must participate in the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), which provides eligible low-income households a $30 per month discount on high-speed internet service or provide access to a comparable low-cost program. Buncombe County is utilizing American Rescue Plan Act funds to fund its portion of the project.
The broadband internet expansion will cover households from Woodfin to the Buncombe/Madison County line and east into the Reems Creek and Ox Creek valleys.
Project Timeline
| Actions | Date |
| Gov. Cooper announces Frontier Communications of The Carolinas received $3.3 million to expand broadband in Buncombe County | Aug. 31, 2022 |
| Frontier Communications hosts an Informational Session at the Weaverville Community Center. Watch a recording of the meeting here or in the public meetings tab. | Oct. 3, 2023 |
About the Growing Rural Economies with Access to Technology (GREAT) Grants
The GREAT grant program provides matching grants to internet service providers and electric membership cooperatives that may partner with individual counties to compete for funding to expand high-speed internet service to unserved and underserved areas of the state.
As part of the GREAT grant eligibility requirements, all internet service provider applicants must be participating in the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), which provides eligible low-income households a $30 per month discount on high-speed internet service or provide access to a comparable low-cost program.
Applications for the grant were scored based on the number of households and businesses they proposed to serve, the average cost to serve those locations, and the speeds offered. Applicants must agree to provide high-speed service, defined as a minimum of 100 Megabits per second (Mbps) download and 20 Mbps upload, scalable to 100 Mbps download and 100 Mbps upload on or before December 31, 2026. All awards are contingent on final executed grant agreements with broadband provider partners.
Important Links:
- To determine your fiber availability with Frontier Communications, visit this website: frontier.com/local and enter your home address.
- If you don't have broadband internet, complete this survey.