More households and businesses in Buncombe County will soon have access to high-speed internet as part of a new round of state-funded broadband expansion projects. Last week, Governor Josh Stein announced that more than $31 million from the Completing Access to Broadband (CAB) program will be allocated to connect 10,810 households and businesses across Buncombe and 13 other counties.
“No matter where you live in the state, you should have access to high-speed internet,” said Governor Josh Stein in the announcement press release. “Broadband is critical to providing more economic opportunity to every corner of the state, and I am proud to create a stronger and more connected North Carolina for every person and small business owner.”
In Buncombe County specifically, the North Carolina Department of Information Technology awarded a CAB project to Frontier Communications. The total project cost is $959,098 and does not require matching funds from the county. This initiative will provide high-speed internet service to 132 homes or businesses, which represents 6.35% of Buncombe’s 2,079 eligible locations.
“Broadband has been a critical part of our investment in expanding educational and economic opportunities, especially in the rural parts of Buncombe County. We are thankful for Governor Stein’s support in our long-term efforts to bring broadband access to every part of our community,” says Commissioner Martin Moore.
Buncombe County’s Board of Commissioners has prioritized increasing broadband access. Since 2020, partnerships with North Carolina and other providers through multiple grant projects have extended high-speed internet service to over 2,700 previously unserved households.
“Over the past five years, our targeted focus on understanding the needs and gaps of services in our community and pursuing strategies and funding to address those needs will benefit our community over the course of many years. I appreciate all our partners who continue to work with us on improving our infrastructure in Buncombe County,” notes Commissioner Terri Wells.
The push for improved connectivity comes at a time when educational outcomes remain an area for growth in Buncombe County schools. For example, during the 2022-23 school year, only about 28.5% of senior students taking the science portion of the ACT were considered ready for college according to data from the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. Among juniors taking the same test, about 30.1% met college readiness benchmarks (source). In reading, 41.1% of seniors reached college readiness while juniors performed slightly better at 43.2% (source). Math results showed that 25.6% of seniors were ready for college-level work compared with 32.7% among juniors (source).
These statistics highlight ongoing challenges but also underscore how expanded broadband access could support students’ learning opportunities moving forward.
