Mcnc

RECOVERY ACT - NORTH CAROLINA RURAL BROADBAND INITIATIVE

RECOVERY ACT - BUILDING A SUSTAINABLE MIDDLE-MILE NETWORK FOR UNDERSERVED RURAL NC

PURPOSE: HERO WILL ENABLE AFFORDABLE, HIGH-PERFORMANCE BROADBAND IN SUBSTANTIALLY UNSERVED AREAS OF NORTH CAROLINA (NC) AND PROVIDE SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVED NETWORK RELIABILITY, RESILIENCY, AND LATENCY. LAST MILE SERVICE PROVIDERS CAN LEVERAGE THE PROPOSED FIBER ROUTE BY BUILDING LATERALS TO BOTH RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL CUSTOMERS, AS WELL AS TO THEIR OWN AGGREGATION FACILITIES, FROM HAND HOLES PLACED 2,500 FEET OR LESS APART ALONG THE PROPOSED ROUTE. IN ADDITION, THREE NEW TELECOMMUNICATIONS HUTS WILL FACILITATE LIGHTING THE PROPOSED FIBER ROUTES AND PROVIDE NETWORK CONNECTIVITY SERVICES WITH INCREASED RELIABILITY AND RESILIENCY, AS WELL AS PHYSICAL CO-LOCATION SERVICES TO CUSTOMERS. ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED: THE PROJECT CONSISTS OF THE CONSTRUCTION OF TWO FIBER ROUTES TOTALING 209 MILES IN A 2 YEAR PERIOD. EXPECTED OUTCOMES: PROJECT HERO WILL BUILD TWO MIDDLE MILE FIBER ROUTES THAT WILL ALLOW LAST MILE SERVICE PROVIDERS TO ESTABLISH HIGHLY RELIABLE AND RESILIENT LAST MILE NETWORK CONNECTIVITY SERVICES TO DIRECTLY SERVE BOTH RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL CUSTOMERS IN THE 11-COUNTY SERVICE AREA. BY MAKING FIBER-BASED INTERCONNECTIONS AVAILABLE TO EVERY SERVICEABLE LOCATION ALONG THE PROPOSED ROUTES, END USERS SUBSCRIBED TO INTERNET AND OTHER NETWORK ACCESS SERVICES WILL EXPERIENCE SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED LATENCIES. THE EXTENDED NETWORK IS EXPECTED TO SUPPORT AFFORDABLE, HIGH-PERFORMANCE BROADBAND FOR AT LEAST 4,998 UNSERVED LOCATIONS AND NEARLY 4,300 UNDERSERVED LOCATIONS WITHIN 5 MILES OF THE ROUTES. DARK FIBER WILL BE AVAILABLE UNDER AN OPEN INTERCONNECT POLICY AT COMPETITIVE PRICES. BOTH NONPROFITS AND COMMERCIAL CARRIERS WILL BENEFIT FROM THIS CAPABILITY ALLOWING THEM TO EXPAND THEIR OFFERINGS IN THESE SERVICE AREAS. THE APPLICANT EXPECTS THE PROJECT TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF A SKILLED, DIVERSE WORKFORCE TO MEET BROADBAND NEEDS THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA. THE APPLICANT PLANS TO PRIORITIZE HIRING LOCAL WORKERS INCLUDING THOSE POPULATIONS PREVIOUSLY UNDERREPRESENTED. IN TOTAL, THE AFFORDABILITY, LATENCY, AND RESILIENCE BENEFITS OF HERO ARE EXPECTED TO IMPACT OVER 350,000 HOUSING UNITS AND 696 CAIS, BRINGING NEW ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES TO ECONOMICALLY CHALLENGED RURAL AREAS OF NORTH CAROLINA. INTENDED BENEFICIARIES: TWO BURIED FIBER ROUTES WILL OFFER COST-EFFECTIVE SERVICES TO ISPS TO HELP EXPAND AFFORDABLE HIGH-PERFORMANCE RETAIL BROADBAND WITHIN 11 COUNTIES OF NC. THE AREA HAS OVER 16,000 UNSERVED AND 12,000 UNDERSERVED HOUSING UNITS, WITH AT LEAST 9,000 UNSERVED/UNDERSERVED LOCATIONS WITHIN A 5- MILE RADIUS OF THE PLANNED ROUTE WHO WILL GAIN ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE, HIGH-PERFORMANCE BROADBAND. 116 CAIS WITHIN 1,000 FT, OF THE NETWORK WILL BENEFIT FROM SPEEDS NOT LESS THAN 1GBPS UPLOAD AND 1 GBPS DOWNLOAD WHILE 696 CAIS IN THE PROJECT AREA WILL ALSO BENEFIT FROM THE AFFORDABILITY, LATENCY, AND RESILIENCY CREATED BY THIS PROJECT. BOTH NONPROFITS AND COMMERCIAL CARRIERS WILL BENEFIT FROM THE OPEN INTERCONNECTION POLICY ALLOWING THEM TO EXPAND THEIR OFFERINGS IN THESE SERVICE AREAS. THE APPLICANT EXPECTS THE PROJECT TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF A SKILLED, DIVERSE WORKFORCE TO MEET BROADBAND NEEDS THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA. THE APPLICANT PLANS TO PRIORITIZE HIRING LOCAL WORKERS INCLUDING THOSE POPULATIONS PREVIOUSLY UNDERREPRESENTED. THIS PROJECT CAN PROVIDE NETWORK SERVICES SUCH AS DARK FIBER AND LIT SERVICES TO FOUR MILITARY INSTALLATIONS IN NC: FORT BRAGG, POPE ARMY AIRFIELD, CAMP LEJEUNE, AND MARINE CORPS AIR STATION NEW RIVER THUS INCREASING REDUNDANCY AND RESILIENCY OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS CAPABILITIES AT THESE FACILITIES. AS CONNECTING WITH THE ELECTRIC COOPERATIVES IS AN OBJECTIVE OF THIS PROJECT, AN ANCILLARY BENEFIT WILL BE IMPROVED CONNECTIVITY TO THE SCADA AND COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS OF THESE POWER GRIDS. SUBRECIPIENT ACTIVITIES: NONE