Spearheaded by broadband provider Kinetic and Colquitt Electric Membership Corporation (EMC), a USD 39 million public-private partnership (PPP) aims to bring high-speed fiber internet for the first time to approximately 16,000 locations in Lowndes County, Georgia. Construction has already started and is expected to provide multi-gig internet speeds to eligible homes and businesses across the counties, Kinetic said on Thursday.
Project Details
The PPP between Lowndes County, Colquitt EMC, and Kinetic is funded in part with USD 21.7 million from the Georgia State Fiscal Recovery Fund and the county. Kinetic will invest USD 17.6 million of private capital and will cover any cost overruns. According to the ISP, this project will be critical in providing high-speed internet to underserved and unserved residents in the counties.
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Impact and Benefits
About 16,000 unserved homes and businesses in Lowndes County will be connected via 806 miles of fiber cable, and the broadband build is expected to be completed by the end of 2026, bringing gigabit speeds to the region, the official release said.
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.
Project Support
This project is being administered through the State of Georgia and Lowndes County, supported in whole or in part by the American Rescue Plan Act State Local Fiscal Recovery Fund, a federal award granted to the State of Georgia by the US Department of the Treasury.
Kinetic, a Windstream company, offers fiber-based broadband to residential and small business customers in 18 states. Windstream is a privately held company headquartered in Little Rock, Ark.
