Internet access in rural North Carolina is at a new inflection point after Gov. Josh Stein and the North Carolina Department of Information Technology (NCDIT) announced nearly $26 million in Stop-Gap Solutions program awards on Monday, March 23.
What Happens When the Stop-Gap Solutions awards start building out?
The announcement frames the funding as a targeted push to reach eligible unserved and underserved areas, with an emphasis on broadband line extensions in hard-to-reach locations and on ensuring that smaller clusters of homes and businesses are not overlooked. The program is funded through the American Rescue Plan Act and is positioned as complementary to other statewide deployment efforts.
State leaders tied the effort to practical outcomes: Gov. Josh Stein said the projects are intended to expand access to telehealth, help students complete homework, enable businesses to compete in larger markets, and support communities’ ability to thrive. NCDIT Secretary and State Chief Information Officer Teena Piccione described high-speed internet access as foundational for health care delivery, public safety operations, workforce development, and economic growth, adding that the program is designed to move with urgency and precision.
What If the timeline holds for rural households and community hubs?
The announced awards are intended to bring high-speed service to 5, 161 rural homes, businesses, and community anchor institutions in 66 counties, including Johnston, Wilson, Wayne, Sampson, Harnett, and Wake, by the end of 2026. In a separate statewide framing of the same announcement, the rollout was described as delivering infrastructure to more than 5, 000 rural homes, businesses, and community hubs by the end of the year.
Providers named in the rollout include Connect Holding II, LLC/Brightspeed, which is slated to serve 2, 439 locations across 46 counties, including Johnston, Harnett, Sampson, Wayne, Wake, and Wilson. Other providers identified as participating in additional county connections include Atlantic Telephone Membership Cooperative, Citizens Telephone Company, and Frontier Communications.
What Happens When this funding meets larger statewide contracting?
The Stop-Gap Solutions awards arrive alongside a larger contracting pipeline described by NCDIT. it has contracted for more than $670 million in broadband projects scheduled for completion this year, with the aim of connecting more than 252, 000 homes and businesses to high-speed internet. In a separate summary, the milestone was described as contracting more than $670 million since January to connect over 252, 000 homes and businesses.
In parallel to infrastructure work, nearly $50 million has been awarded to state agencies, local governments, and nonprofits to provide computers and digital skills training to more than 66, 000 residents. The stated intent is to help communities make full use of expanded Internet access as network availability grows across targeted areas.
