More Areas of Columbus County Need Faster Internet
With additional state and federal grant opportunities becoming available later in 2020, ATMC is looking for additional areas in Columbus County in need of faster internet service. If you live in an area that is unserved or underserved for high speed internet, please complete the short survey below to show your interest.
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We're Making It Happen
ATMC is working to bring faster, more reliable Internet service to residents and businesses in the areas of Columbus County that today are unserved or underserved. In November of 2019, ATMC was awarded a ReConnect Broadband grant by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The grant, totaling just under $8 million dollars, will have a matching dollar for dollar contribution from ATMC bringing the total project cost to $15.87 million dollars of investment in rural Columbus County. Using these funds, ATMC has already begun work to bring fiber optic delivered Internet with speeds up to 1 Gigabit per second, cable TV, and telephone service to more than 4,000 unserved and underserved homes and businesses located near the Hallsboro, Tabor City, Lake Waccamaw and Northern Columbus County communities.
In July, ATMC completed a $1 million dollar construction project funded by the NC GREAT Grant program which has enabled us to serve nearly 800 homes in the Beaverdam and Williams Township communities. ATMC was required to make a matching $550,000 investment for the grant and contributed an additional $1.5 million dollars to expand the project to reach an additional 400 homes and businesses outside the grant area.
In March, ATMC applied for grant funds through the North Carolina Department of Information Technology GREAT Grant Program to provide services to over 1,300 homes and businesses located in western areas of Columbus County. If grant funds are secured, ATMC will bring Internet speeds of up to 1 Gigabit per second, delivered over a 100% fiber optic network, to rural communities of Fair Bluff and Boardman. Grant awards are expected to be announced later this year.
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BENEFITS OF FIBER
SPEED:
Fiber optic networks deliver broadband speeds up to 1 Gigabit – the fastest, most powerful connection around.
VALUE:
Research shows that a home in a fiber optic network community is worth more than a similar home in a non-fiber optic network community.
STABILITY:
Fiber optic technology is resistant to corrosion, not susceptible to lightning damage and has a longer life expectancy.
SERVICE:
The ATMC fiber optic network is backed by our award-winning, local customer service. Visit us at our new location in Whiteville, located at 2230 New Britton Hwy, behind Brunswick Electric.
FLEXIBILITY:
Because of the nearly limitless connection, fiber optic network homes are better equipped for the communications and entertainment technologies of tomorrow.
ENVIRONMENTAL:
Fiber optic networks are green, energy-efficient and less intrusive to neighborhood landscapes.