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Kinetic aims to extend fiber connectivity to nearly 52,000 rural homes and businesses across Georgia and other states.
Edited by Brad Randall, Broadband Communities
Kinetic has secured preliminary approval for $156.6 million in federal Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) program grants.
The funds, provisionally awarded by four states—Georgia, Arkansas, New Mexico, and North Carolina—are designed to extend multi-gigabit fiber broadband to nearly 52,000 rural homes and businesses, with a significant majority, approximately 49,346 locations, situated in Georgia, according to Kinetic.
The grants are still subject to final ratification by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, Kinetic said in a release Wednesday.
In Georgia, Kinetic reported receiving $147.3 million to expand fiber access, while Arkansas, New Mexico, and North Carolina will receive $5 million, $2 million, and $2.3 million, respectively.
Jeff Small, Kinetic’s EVP and CNO, underscored the critical role of public-private partnerships and state broadband offices in driving this expansion.
“We are especially appreciative of the opportunity to expand our partnership with the State of Georgia,” Small said. “The BEAD award is a continuation of our robust participation in Georgia public-private partnership programs, where through state, local and federal initiatives, including BEAD, we are building fiber to over 170,000 homes and businesses.”
The company’s fiber infrastructure, which presently passes over 1.7 million homes, also boasts an additional 2.1 million locations connected to neighborhood fiber nodes, according to Kinetic.
The company says they’re aiming to surpass 3.5 million homes passed with 100% fibre internet by 2029.
A staff writer used AI tools from Noah Wire Services to help generate this report.