FOCUS Broadband Completes First Round of GREAT Grant Projects in Chowan and Perquimans Counties

FOCUS Broadband announced that nearly 4,000 addresses in Chowan and Perquimans (NC) counties now have access to fiber optic high-speed internet with speeds of up to 5 Gbps, thanks to two North Carolina Department of Information Technology Growing Rural Economies with Access to Technology Grants totaling $8 million. These grants, awarded to FOCUS Broadband in late 2022, have already connected over 1,200 homes and businesses. Work is currently underway with substantial progress having already been made on two additional projects in Chowan and Perquimans counties. These projects were also funded through NCDIT’s GREAT Grant program. The grants, totaling $7.2 million, were awarded in 2023 and will expand broadband service to an additional 1,700 addresses in both counties. Completion is expected in 2025. In total, FOCUS Broadband will contribute approximately $1.7 million in matching funds to these GREAT Grant projects, with additional support provided by each county.