Berkeley, Dorchester counties to get internet upgrade with $9M funding boost

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A multimillion-dollar grant award will allow an internet company to expand its broadband network in rural Berkeley and Dorchester counties.

The more than $9 million project from Home Telecom is partially funded by the American Rescue Plan Act State Local Fiscal Recovery Fund 3.0 Grant Program, according to a news release. The funds seek to expand broadband infrastructure to households, business, and communities in the State and backed by the South Carolina Office of Regulatory Staff totaling $5.6 million. Home Telecom is adding $4 million to this extensive capital project.

Construction is expected to kick off in early 2025.

“With an expert team, we’ve moved quickly, and with great precision, as we’ve deployed every dollar of ARPA funding,” said Jim Stritzinger, director of the South Carolina Broadband Office, in the release. “Our ‘agile’ methodology for fund deployment has worked extremely well, and we are grateful for the close collaboration with the ISPs [Internet Service Providers] that work so hard daily to keep our homes and businesses connected.”

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This project will expand Home Telecom’s fiber network to almost 1,600 addresses, adding a total of 74 fiber miles in two counties, the release stated. In addition, the project will upgrade the existing cable modem plant currently serving nearly 6,000 customers in Berkeley County to allow gigabit upload speeds necessary when working or learning from home and sharing large files.

The specific Berkeley County communities who will benefit include:

• A 1.5-mile stretch of Highway 176 between Cross and Sandridge
• A 3.7-mile stretch from Spring Plains Road in Cross, through Nelson Hill to Ranger Drive
• A 13-mile stretch of Old Hwy 6 along Lake Moultrie to The Hatchery Boat Launch
• In Moncks Corner, Cooper Store Road near Tuckertown, including Black Tom Road and Longridge Road
• From Whitehouse Road to Calamus Pond Road
• A stretch of about 30 miles in Huger to include Halfway Creek Road, Broadpath Road and United Drive

The specific Dorchester County communities who will benefit include:

• A 15-mile stretch of Highway 27 and Highway 61 known as Givhans Road in Ridgeville
• A 12-mile stretch between Saint Paul Road and Harleyville via West Main Highway 178

“Home Telecom has always been an advocate for bridging the digital divide in the communities we serve, with digital access being an imperative first step,” said William S. Helmly, Home Telecom CEO, in the release. “We are excited to demonstrate our reliability as a trusted partner with the SCBBO, securing additional funding to enhance our capital investment. By expanding access to fiber technology and upgrading our existing cable modem system, our aim is to promote innovation, digital inclusivity, and sustainable growth within the communities we serve.”