ATHENS — Spectrum announced March 22, it has been awarded an Alabama Capital Projects Fund grant of nearly $4.6 million to bring gigabit high-speed internet access to more than 1,100 homes and small businesses in Limestone County. Combined with the state grant, the total project investment, including nearly $3.5 million from Spectrum, is nearly $8.1 million.
“Spectrum’s dedication to serving rural communities, like those here in Limestone County, aligns perfectly with our vision for a more connected Alabama,” said state Rep. Parker Moore. “I’m pleased that they were selected to build out the infrastructure we need to bring more homes and businesses access to high-speed internet.”
The grant is one of 23 grants awarded to Spectrum to expand fiber-optic broadband infrastructure to areas of the state that currently lack access to high-speed connections. The grants will bring broadband to nearly 21,000 additional homes and small businesses across Alabama.
“Limestone County is fortunate to have received ARPA grants from the state and a strong partner like Spectrum to provide connectivity services,” said Limestone Co. Commissioner LaDon Townsend. “Our most rural communities need the same reliable connectivity as our urban neighbors, and this latest buildout will bring us one step closer to bridging that gap.”
Alabama’s Capital Projects Fund grants further expand Spectrum’s rural construction initiative, the centerpiece of which is the company’s approximately $5 billion investment in unserved rural communities, which includes more than $1 billion won in the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF) auction. The company’s RDOF expansion will provide broadband access to 1.3 million customer locations across 24 states.
“Gov. Ivey, her administration and the Alabama Legislature have shown tremendous leadership in embracing public-private partnerships as a vital strategy for connecting unserved communities,” said Taylor Vice, Sr. Director of Government Affairs at Charter. “We applaud Alabama officials in helping us bridge the digital divide and make a meaningful difference for residents.”
Spectrum currently serves 654,000 customers in Alabama and employs more than 1,200 residents in the state.
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Spectrum Internet delivers speeds up to 1 Gbps and Advanced WiFi for residential and small business customers, featuring starting speeds of 300 Mbps, with no modem fees, data caps or contracts. Spectrum Business Internet offers customers 1 Gbps download speeds, with 300 Mbps and 600 Mbps options. The company has also begun a network evolution that will provide gigabit upstream speeds and multiple gigabit download speeds across its entire 41-state service area.
Spectrum Internet exceeded advertised download and upload speeds for all tiers measured — even during peak weeknight usage between 7 and 11 p.m. — according to the FCC’s most recent “Measuring Broadband America Fixed Broadband Report” issued in January 2023.