FOCUS Broadband has a strong history of providing broadband to rural areas and maximizing the use of grant dollars for the betterment of rural communities. To date, we have won more than $100 million in state and federal grant funds to serve residents and businesses in Bladen, Brunswick, Chowan, Columbus, Duplin, Hoke, Robeson,
Pender, Perquimans, and Scotland Counties.
Learn more about the broadband grants we’ve received which have helped us bring high-speed internet to rural areas in North Carolina.
Recently, FOCUS Broadband was named as the recipient of five Completing Access to Broadband (CAB) projects, receiving funding to connect a total of 777 underserved addresses in Brunswick, Columbus, Chowan, Perquimans and Pender counties. FOCUS Broadband will contribute matching funds to complete these projects.
FOCUS Broadband is named as a recipient of two Completing Access to Broadband (CAB) program projects in 2024. This CAB funding supports FOCUS Broadband in connecting an additional 800 addresses in Chowan and Perquimans counties to high-speed internet. These projects are projected to be completed by the end of 2025.
FOCUS Broadband received two additional GREAT Grants totaling $7.2 million in 2023 through the Completing Access to Broadband (CAB) program, supplementing the 2022 GREAT Grants. These funds support the extension of FOCUS Broadband’s network and bring high-speed internet access to 780 additional addresses in Chowan County and 988 addresses in Perquimans County. Construction on both projects is currently underway.
FOCUS Broadband secured multiple major grants in 2022 to expand fiber optic broadband service across several rural counties. Approximately $30 million in NC GREAT Grant funding was awarded to extend high-speed internet service to more than 11,000 addresses across Columbus, Robeson, Duplin, Pender, Bladen, Hoke, Chowan and Perquimans counties. Construction on these projects is completed.
In addition to this funding, FOCUS Broadband received $24.6 million through the USDA ReConnect Program to extend its fiber optic network in Robeson and Scotland counties. This project is currently underway and will serve more than 4,800 addresses in communities near Rowland, Maxton, Wagram, Laurinburg, and areas east of Lumberton.
In 2021, FOCUS Broadband received a $2.9 million USDA Community Connect Grant to deliver high-speed internet to underserved addresses in the Robeson County communities of Howellsville and Tolarsville. With $435,780 in matching funds contributed by FOCUS Broadband, the project was completed in 2023.
FOCUS Broadband secured more than $33 million in broadband grant funding in 2020 to expand its fiber optic network across southeastern North Carolina. NC GREAT Grant awards totaling $11.5 million supported broadband expansion projects in Fair Bluff, Boardman, Orrum, Proctorville, and rural areas of Duplin, Brunswick, Columbus, and Robeson counties. Construction on all these grant-funded projects was completed by spring of 2023.
A $26 million USDA ReConnect Grant was awarded to construct a 100% fiber optic network in rural Pender County, bringing high-speed internet to more than 5,000 addresses. Work on this project is currently underway, with completion expected by the end of 2025.
Receiving a $1 million NC GREAT Grant in 2019, FOCUS Broadband expanded its fiber optic network in Columbus County to serve more than 700 homes and businesses in the Beaverdam community. This project was completed in 2020.
Awarded that same year, a $10 million USDA ReConnect Grant enabled FOCUS Broadband to expand high-speed internet access in Columbus County to over 2,000 addresses near Tabor City, Hallsboro, Bolton, Lake Waccamaw, and areas north of Whiteville. This project was completed in 2023.
Through a $12 million grant awarded in 2010 by the USDA’s Rural Utilities Service, FOCUS Broadband constructed a 100% fiber optic network to serve more than 2,000 homes and businesses with high-speed internet in the Columbus County communities of Nakina and Old Dock.
FOCUS Broadband is a nonprofit cooperative, owned by its members. We began serving the people of Brunswick County in 1955 and have grown to become the largest communications cooperative in North Carolina offering High-Speed Internet, Business Communications, Security, and Wireless, to over 70,000 customers in Brunswick, Columbus, Robeson, Duplin, Pender, Bladen, Chowan, Hoke, Scotland and Perquimans Counties.
FOCUS Broadband was built to serve rural areas. To date, we have won more than $100 million in grant funds to build a fiber optic network capable of delivering gigabit speed internet to underserved communities in eastern North Carolina. In addition, we have invested millions more by self-funding high-speed internet projects, which have impacted thousands of rural customers.
We will continue to work hard to eliminate the digital divide in eastern North Carolina.
FOCUS Broadband delivers broadband speeds up to 5 Gigabits-that’s among the fastest, most powerful connection around.
Research shows that a home served by fiber optic technology is worth more than a similar home that is not.
The fiber optic technology that powers our network is resistant to corrosion, not susceptible to lightning damage, and has a longer life expectancy than regular coaxial cables.
Our services are backed by award-winning, local customer service and 24/7 technical support.
Because of the nearly limitless connection, homes served by FOCUS Broadband are better equipped for the communications and entertainment technologies of tomorrow.