The South Carolina Broadband Office has chosen AT&T Fiber, Charter Communications, Comcast and 12 others to deploy fiber optic internet service in 33 counties across the state.
AT&T Fiber will pass nearly 2,500 customer locations in a project in Greenville valued at $12.3 million and to nearly 6,900 customer locations in Charleston in a project valued at $10.5 million. More than $19 million was awarded to Comcast to cover Greenwood, Hampton and Jasper Counties. Charter will cover Allendale, Barnwell, Laurens and Union with its $4.1 million award.
Among the cooperatives, West Carolina Rural Telephone received the highest award of $27.3 million to cover McCormick, Edgefield, Oconee, Anderson and Pickens counties. Truvista received $16.2 million, Palmetto Rural Telephone Cooperative received $12.6 million, and Farmers Telephone Cooperative received $12.04 million. For more information, click here.
“For South Carolina to remain competitive, especially in our rural areas, we must ensure that high-speed internet is a possibility for every South Carolinian,” said Gov. Henry McMaster.
The South Carolina Broadband Office grants will provide nearly $132.8 million of American Rescue Plan Act funding. The total project cost for this round of broadband expansion is estimated to be $256.8 million, which will fund 56 new projects to provide high-speed internet access to homes and businesses.
By December 31, 2024, ISPs in South Carolina will have constructed over 5,000 additional miles of fiber and provided high speed internet access for at least 39,606 locations. As a result, the number of unserved homes in South Carolina will be reduced from 137,004 down to approximately 74,000. At that time, a new set of broadband maps for all 46 counties in the state will be released.
By J. Sharpe Smith, Inside Towers Technology Editor
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