BERKELEY COUNTY, S.C. – Berkeley County is one of 33 counties across South Carolina expected to receive funding from the South Carolina Broadband Office (SCBBO) for broadband expansion projects, county officials confirmed Tuesday.
SCBBO announced earlier this month it’s investing $132,799,403 in 15 Internet Service Providers (ISPs) statewide to fund 56 broadband expansion projects.
“High-speed Internet access is a critical resource and essential service in today’s world. Investments like these help ensure more opportunities for employment, education, and an overall better quality of life for all citizens,” said Berkeley County Supervisor Johnny Cribb.
“Access to high-speed internet is critical in today’s world. Whether it be for parents working from home, students completing their homework, or your basic everyday needs, access to high-speed internet is critical. We want to make sure our unserved and underserved communities are not left behind as we continue to improve our County and the fundamental resources our citizens have access to. This investment gets us one step closer to that goal,” said David Kornahrens, Berkeley County Chief Information Officer.
Funding specifically stems from SCCBO’s American Rescue Plan Act, State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds Priority 1.0 (ARPA SLFRF 1.0) grant program. It will allow Internet Service Providers to construct 5,000-plus miles of additional fiber for high-speed Internet to nearly 40,000 more residential and business sites, among other facilities, in the state. Of that total, approximately 580 structures in Berkeley and Charleston counties will be helped by Home Telecom for a project receiving just under $3.3 million in SCBBO ARPA funding. View the complete listing of ARPA fund allocations by County HERE.
“We are incredibly excited about this next chapter of broadband expansion in South Carolina. …Since the SCBBO does not directly build any fiber or connect a single home, the credit for this improvement needs to be directed to South Carolina’s extraordinary ISPs,” said Jim Stritzinger, Director of the SC Broadband Office.
Learn more about the SC Broadband Office, housed within the SC Office of Regulatory Staff, HERE.
