Lowndes County, Ga., to bring fiber internet to 16,000 locations with $39 million public private partnership
(UI) – About 16,000 locations in Lowndes County, Ga., will be able to get high-speed fiber internet for the first time, due to a $39 million public private partnership.
Construction has already started and is expected to provide multi-gig internet speeds to eligible homes and businesses across the counties. This project will be critical in providing high-speed internet to underserved and unserved residents in the counties.
Leaders from broadband provider Kinetic and Colquitt Electric Membership Corporation (EMC), along with state officials participated in a joint groundbreaking ceremony with county commissioners to commence the fiber expansion.
The public private partnership between Lowndes County, Colquitt EMC and Kinetic is funded in part with $21.7 million from the Georgia State Fiscal Recovery Fund and the county. Kinetic will invest $17.6 million of private capital and will cover any cost overruns.
“After months of dedicated collaboration, I’m proud to stand here today and witness the development of these 16,000 locations in Kinetic’s largest Georgia fiber build project to date,” said Michael Foor, Georgia Kinetic Operations President. “As a Georgian, this moment marks not just the culmination of our collective efforts, but also the beginning of a transformative journey for us and businesses across the communities of Lowndes County.”
"The collaborative efforts of Kinetic, Colquitt EMC, Governor Kemp and the dedicated officials of the Lowndes County board brought much-needed access to an additional 16,000 locations. Kinetic’s blazing fast fiber speeds will benefit households, businesses, and educational institutions across the county through a transformative improvement in broadband services," said Senator Russ Goodman (R-GA).
Kinetic and Colquitt EMC have partnered since 2019 when the Georgia State Legislature passed legislation to allow the state’s EMCs to participate in bringing broadband service to underserved and unserved areas. Soon after this bill’s passage, Colquitt EMC contacted broadband providers to determine the best method for Colquitt’s participation.
Fiber optics provide superior performance over cable, fixed wireless access (FWA), and satellite technologies, Kinetic asserts. Fiber offers higher speeds, lower latency, and better reliability due to its resistance to weather and power outages.
Additionally, fiber delivers symmetrical upload and download speeds, essential for seamless streaming, gaming, and large file transfers. Its dedicated bandwidth means no shared connections, ensuring consistent service without congestion, according to Kinetic.
This project is being administered through the State of Georgia and Lowndes County, supported in whole or part by the American Rescue Plan Act State Local Fiscal Recovery Fund, award number GA-0011307, a federal award granted to the State of Georgia by the U.S. Department of the Treasury.
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