COLUMBIA, S.C. — Two South Carolina counties are the recipients of a total of $24 million in government funding aimed at improving high-speed internet in rural areas.
Bamberg and Orangeburg counties will each receive $12 million for connectivity projects. The money comes from the fourth round of ReConnect Program funding, part of the US Department of Agriculture's Rural Development agency, and will be used to connect thousands of rural residents, farmers and businesses to reliable, affordable, high-speed internet.
South Carolina's portion of the money is part of a nationwide investment of $667 million from President Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
- In Bamberg County, $12 million will be allocated to used to deploy a fixed wireless (licensed) network to provide high-speed internet. This network will benefit 5,241 people, 254 businesses, 60 farms and 24 educational facilities in Bamberg County in South Carolina.
- In Orangeburg County, the $12 million will be used to deploy a fiber-to-the-premises network to provide highspeed internet. This network will benefit 4,155 people, 172 businesses, 72 farms and 13 educational facilities in Orangeburg County.
Both Bamberg and Orangeburg counties will make high-speed internet affordable by participating in the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) Affordable Connectivity Program.
Applicants to ReConnect Program funding must serve a rural area that lacks access to service at speeds of 100 megabits per second (Mbps) download and 20 Mbps upload. Applicants must also commit to building facilities capable of providing high-speed internet service with speeds of 100 Mbps (download and upload) to every location in the proposed service area. Additionally, to ensure that rural households that need internet service can afford it, all awardees will be required to apply to participate in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP). The ACP offers a discount of up to $30 per month toward internet service to qualifying low-income households.
