Wake County, N.C. – As part of a statewide effort to address broadband access in unserved and under-served communities in North Carolina, the Connecting Counties Task Force has distilled the most important information, complexities, and best practices from the nation’s foremost leaders on broadband into a “Broadband Playbook” for counties to use as a comprehensive resource.
NCACC President and Washington County Commissioner Tracey Johnson discussed the impact of the Broadband Playbook, stating, “In North Carolina, we have roughly 88% of our state that is fully served by broadband. There are so many areas that are without reliable access to the internet. The NCACC is excited to empower counties to tackle broadband expansion and close the gap in North Carolina. We are grateful for our partnerships with the NC Department of Information Technology (NC DIT), state and federal partners to produce and promote the Broadband Playbook for counties in our state.”
The Connecting Counties Playbook is designed to equip county leaders and staff with information, resources, and strategies needed to explore opportunities for broadband expansion and to better serve county residents. The playbook is divided into four sections (each with distinct sets of resources and strategies):
- Foundational Resources
- Technical Resources
- Provider Partnership Resources
- Public Awareness Resources
“We are excited to partner with the NCACC to help close the high-speed internet access gap in North Carolina,” said N.C. Department of Information Technology Deputy Secretary for Broadband and Digital Equity Nate Denny. “Thanks to unprecedented levels of federal funding and the resources available in the Broadband Playbook, counties have never been better positioned to expand broadband connectivity for their residents.”
The Association will continue its work advocating for expanding broadband access in North Carolina to the unserved and under-served areas and residents of the state. For more information on the initiative and to review the Connecting Counties Broadband Playbook, click here.