Spartanburg County is on track to provide access to high-speed broadband internet service for up to 4,000 homes in underserved areas by the end of 2024, officials said.
Deputy County Administrator Earl Alexander provided an update on the broadband expansion project at the meeting of Spartanburg County Council on Nov. 20.
In March 2022, County Council authorized $4.5 million in federal COVID-relief funds to lay 332.6 miles of new fiber optic line with speeds of at least 100 megabits per second.
The funds are part of $62 million in federal American Rescue Plan Act funding for Spartanburg County. Congress approved the funds for infrastructure projects such as broadband, water, sewer and stormwater upgrades.
Alexander said the county is working with Spectrum/Charter by going door to door to identify each household with no broadband access.
The target completion date is December 2024.
In Spartanburg County, 144,000 households have high-speed internet while 5,946 homes do not, according to the South Carolina Broadband Office. The homes are located mainly in the Landrum-Campobello area and south of Highway 417 between Reidville and Woodruff.
Alexander has said broadband is considered “the essential utility … that enables residents to utilize technology for critical needs such as education, telehealth, employment seeking and conduct of personal business.”
Matt Willis of Charter Communications told County Council that Spectrum already serves a large area in central Spartanburg County. Most of the underserved areas are in the rural, outer reaches of the county, he said.
Willis said most of the high-speed internet will be delivered by underground fiber optic lines, although some areas will have above-ground connections via utility poles.
Alexander said besides the county’s project, the state also awarded a broadband expansion project to Spectrum/Charter to connect 759 homes. He said the cable company will be sure there is no duplication of efforts.
Besides Spectrum/Charter, this past March internet provider Lumos Fiber of High Point, North Carolina, announced it will invest $60 million to bring 706 miles of fiber optic internet service with minimum speeds of 100 Mbps to Spartanburg, Cowpens, Duncan, Lyman, Greer and Wellford.
In October, Lumos also announced plans to expand into Greenville County with a nearly $100 million investment to build 775 miles of fiber optic line to deliver high-speed internet to underserved areas.
What is high-speed internet?
Broadband is the transmission of data over a high-speed internet connection, allowing for high-quality and quick access to information.
In 2015, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), declared that 25 Mbps (megabits per second) download speed with 3 Mbps upload speed is considered basic “high speed” internet.
A 25 Mbps connection allows for basic internet activity, such as 1080p HD video streaming.
Larger households with more devices require a faster speed. That is the guideline South Carolina uses to define high-speed internet, according to Jim Stritzinger, director of the South Carolina Broadband Office.
Bob Montgomery covers Spartanburg County politics and growth & development. Reach him via email at [email protected].
Tyler Fields is your internet guru, delving into the latest trends, developments, and issues shaping the online world. With a focus on internet culture, cybersecurity, and emerging technologies, Tyler keeps readers informed about the dynamic landscape of the internet and its impact on our digital lives.
