Cooper, Davis celebrate high-speed internet milestone for Twin Counties

Faster and more reliable internet access may soon be coming to a rural community near you. That was the message Wednesday at Rocky Mount High School where Gov. Roy Cooper and U.S. Rep. Don Davis, D-1st District, gathered with community leaders and officials from Nash County Public Schools to celebrate a WiFi milestone.

To date, internet provider Brightspeed’s network has reached more than 30,000 homes and businesses across the Twin Counties, said the company’s Director of Government Affairs Steve Brewer.

“These are very exciting times. I think fiber is a great technology. It will enable customers to do things that before this point they couldn’t do before, everything from telehealth — which I think is supercritical these days — to furthering their education and looking for employment,” Brewer said at the event.

Brightspeed CEO Tom Maguire told the gathering about the company’s new Affinity discount pricing plans for teachers and students that will be launching soon.

“We want to remove all roadblocks to connectivity,” said Maguire said, adding that Nash County currently ranks 42nd out the state’s 100 counties for broadband access — an indication of the area’s need to make broadband more accessible.

In his comments at the gathering, Cooper said that, thanks to bipartisan spending bills and programs supported by the Biden administration, the state has the funding to bring high-speed internet access to every home and business in North Carolina.

“We’ve turned tens of millions of dollars into billions of dollars where we are going to be able to connect every home and business in North Carolina to high-speed internet,” said Cooper, who received a robust round of applause following that remark.

Davis noted how vital the internet is for families across the state for access to health care, receiving an education and accessing and business opportunities.

“Brightspeed’s network and championing of support programs will significantly enhance the lives of North Carolinians, empowering them to thrive and actively participate in the digitally driven economy,” Davis said.

At the event, Brightspeed presented a $3,000 donation to Communities In Schools, a nonprofit organization committed to providing resources and enhancing educational success for students in Nash and Edgecombe counties.

Brightspeed spokeswoman Jocelyn Elmore said the nonprofit group and the internet provider are championing initiatives to bridge the digital divide and provide access to fast and affordable internet.

“All North Carolinians deserve access to high-speed internet to be able to take advantage of health care, jobs, educational opportunities and more,” Cooper said. “Brightspeed’s investments in eastern North Carolina and beyond are helping to bring affordable, reliable high-speed internet and digital know-how to all corners of our state.”