The North Carolina Department of Information Technology’s (NCDIT) Division of Broadband and Digital Equity announced today that an additional $112 million in Completing Access to Broadband (CAB) program projects to connect 25,903 households and businesses in 19 counties (including Harnett County) to high-speed internet. 

“We are excited so many counties and internet service providers have partnered with us on the CAB program,” said NCDIT Deputy Secretary for Broadband and Digital Equity Nate Denny. “These awarded projects will help us make significant progress on closing the state’s digital divide.”

The CAB program’s procurement process creates a partnership between counties and NCDIT to identify areas that need access, solicit proposals from prequalified internet service providers and quickly make awards. Awardees must agree to provide high-speed service that reliably meets or exceeds speeds of 100 Mbps download and 100 Mbps upload.

CAB funding will support high-speed internet in unserved and underserved locations in Harnett County. The broadband provider selected to complete the CAB project in Harnett County is Connect Holding II, LLC (dba Brightspeed). This award will provide high-speed internet access to 1,539 locations throughout Harnett County.

“Broadband is crucial in our digital era, because it enables seamless communication, and facilitates access to information, education, and services for all,” said Ira Hall, Harnett County Chief Information Officer. “Harnett County continues to collaborate with NCDIT and local service providers to increase broadband access to our unserved areas.  The NCDIT Completing Access to Broadband Program is the next step toward greater accessibility of broadband in our county.”

Click here to read the NCDIT announcement.

Harnett County is one of the fastest growing counties in North Carolina with approximately 140,000 residents. Harnett's tagline of "Strong Roots, New Growth," describes a county in transition, one that values its rural agricultural heritage while also embracing new growth and industry. Harnett County is optimally located just between North Carolina's capital city of Raleigh and the internationally recognized Research Triangle Park to the north, and the nation's largest military installation in Fort Liberty to the south. 

For more information, contact Community Relations Director, Desiree Patrick at publicinfo@harnett.org or 910-893-7555.