Fibre internet service provider in the Mid-Atlantic, Lumos, has launched its services in Orange County, North Carolina. The occasion was celebrated at the Orange County Rural Fire Station 2 in Hillsborough, North Carolina, on Tuesday, where the company's leadership, local officials, and community members gathered for a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
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Leveraging Public-Private Synergy
According to the statement, the partnership between Lumos and Orange County remains one of the largest public-private collaborations for fibre infrastructure in the state's history. This has been made possible through substantial investments from Lumos and American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) fund award from Orange County.
"We are thrilled to launch our 100 percent Fiber Optic Internet service in Orange County," said Brian Stading, CEO of Lumos. "Today's launch is a stellar example of a successful public-private partnership as Lumos and Orange County have creatively collaborated to exceed the project's original scope to reach more unserved and underserved households throughout the County."
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Network Expansion for Underserved Areas
The network expansion is said to benefit over 6,300 households in the County that previously lacked adequate Internet access. Lumos has pledged additional funding to amplify the project's impact, which will reach an additional 22,000 addresses.
Lumos said it is deploying its network in six phases, with almost 1,000 miles of fibre optic infrastructure. The service for around 400 addresses has already been set up, with more in the works.
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Empowering Communities and Institutions
As part of the partnership with Orange County, Lumos will also provide fibre Internet service to approximately two dozen county-owned anchor institutions, including the fire station where the ribbon cutting was held.
The Orange County Board of Commissioners' Broadband Task Force, initiated in 2021, has granted Lumos a USD 10 million grant from ARPA funds to build around 1,000 miles of fibre optic infrastructure, addressing connectivity gaps in underserved and unserved areas, stated the official statement.
The successful collaboration between Lumos and Orange County sets a promising precedent for addressing digital disparities and fostering inclusive growth through strategic public-private partnerships.
