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Updated · WKML 95.7 · Aug 25Star Communications Completes $31.6 Million Fiber Buildout for 8,749 Homes in 2 North Carolina Counties
1 articles · Updated · WKML 95.7 · Aug 25Summary
- $31.6 million in broadband work is now complete in Sampson and Bladen counties, giving 8,749 homes newly available high-speed internet service.
- 691 miles of fiber-optic cable were laid after construction began in fall 2020, with the project finishing on schedule.
- $23.7 million came from a USDA ReConnect grant and $7.9 million from Star Communications, targeting rural areas that lacked fast internet access.
- 19 businesses, 10 schools and 3 community hubs were also connected, expanding service to sites that previously had little or no reliable broadband.
- Star said the buildout moves it closer to 100% fiber-to-the-home coverage across its service area and is meant to narrow the rural digital divide.
Insights
With 691 miles of new fiber laid, what hidden costs await Sampson and Bladen residents upgrading to high-speed internet? A $31.6M fiber expansion just hit rural NC, but will a lack of digital literacy keep the digital divide wide open? Star Communications connected thousands of rural homes, but can this heavily subsidized broadband model survive without massive federal grants?