- Image by Nemo’s great uncle via Flickr
When you hear that a company receives millions of dollars of stimulus funds, you might think most of it is going to go into the company’s own pockets. But that may not be the case for Networks East, a local North Carolina business that is going to be working to improve high speed Internet access throughout the state. The company will be using $58 million to install the equipment to expand the coverage area for the company so that more people in North Carolina will have access to high speed Internet through satellite.
Currently, a large majority of residents in the state only have access to the Internet via dial-up connections. This negatively affects their ability to use the Internet to its full capacity. The company plans to target underserved areas and defines this as areas where Internet speeds are 768 kilobits per second or slower.
In order to qualify for the grant, the company had to offer customers a one-year price guarantee for the rate. For $39.99 for the first month, the company will install the equipment necessary for a household to tap into the high speed Internet network. The company plans to offer the service until the grant money runs out; however, it anticipates that the funds will be able to help all areas of the state.
Most of the areas that will classify as underserved are rural communities, and many feel the new system will be a boon for the communities. As La Grange’s economic development director, Mark Pope believes having a higher speed Internet connection will help rural residents be more attractive to employers. Some rural residents think it will also help them find newer job opportunities faster.
Regardless of how residents plan to use the connection speed, many think appreciate the grant and the boost in local technology.
