HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda 05-07-24; 12-5 - Information Item - Memorandum - Update on BEAD Funding for Remaining Unserved Broadband Addresses ORANGE COUNTY
NORTH CAROLINA
TO: Board of County Commissioners
FROM: Todd McGee, Community Relations Director
DATE: May 7, 2024
SUBJECT: Update on BEAD funding for remaining unserved Broadband addresses
Orange County and Lumos Fiber formed a public-private partnership in April 2022 to bring ultra-high-
speed fiber internet service to approximately 6,400 locations that previously had little or no internet
service.The county appropriated $10 million in funding from the American Rescue Plan Act to subsidize
the project.
Prior to issuing the RFP,the county undertook a strenuous effort to identify all areas that were
considered unserved, utilizing existing data from the FCC and other means. We have since discovered
many addresses and neighborhoods were incorrectly identified as being served in old FCC maps. Newer
maps detail broadband availability at an address level and revealed these errors.
The county and Lumos have been discussing the best options for reaching the remaining pockets of
unserved homes and businesses in the county,which Lumos estimates to be fewer than 600, including
utilizing funding from the North Carolina Broadband Infrastructure Office (NCBIO). NCBIO will distribute
the state's share of federal Broadband Equity,Access, and Deployment(BEAD) program. North Carolina
received $1.53 billion from the program.
To receive its share of BEAD funding, NCBIO must develop a detailed plan to connect every unserved
location in the state and contract with different internet providers to build to those locations. NCBIO's
BEAD plan is expected to be approved by the end of 2024. When the plan is approved, Lumos will apply
for a grant to bring fiber internet to the remaining unserved areas of Orange County. Other providers
may also apply to receive grants.
Funding is expected to be awarded to providers in early 2025 with the expectation that the areas will
receive service by the end of 2026.
Lumos continues to make progress on the current project.The company recently received the second
payment installment of$3 million for enabling connections to more than 3,000 of the 6,370 contracted
addresses.The county has so far paid $4 million of the$10 million,with the final payment due upon
completion.
Lumos has experienced a few delays due to unexpected issues but is on target to finish construction on
the network to bring service to the remaining contracted addresses prior to the end of 2024.
300 W.Tryon Street, Hillsborough, NC 27278 1 www.orangecountync.gov 1 919.732.8181