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During a visit to Raleigh on Thursday, President Biden promoted his administration’s plan to improve high-speed internet access in North Carolina.
The president said an additional $82 million in federal coronavirus relief funds will be used to build infrastructure to connect 16,000 more households to high-speed internet. North Carolina has already invested more than $700 million in internet connectivity through the American Rescue Plan Act, according to the White House.
“Fiber-optic cables are being laid in the ground as we speak,” Biden said. “Over the next three years, more than 300,000 of his homes and businesses across North Carolina will be connected to affordable, high-speed internet.”
The Biden administration wants to have access to high-speed internet across the country by 2030.
According to the Census Bureau, in 2022, 87% of North Carolina households had internet with download speeds of 25 megabits per second or higher. However, coverage in rural counties is significantly lower.
“High-speed internet is no longer a luxury; it’s a necessity,” Biden said, citing the need for faster connectivity between clinics and patients who need telemedicine.
The bipartisan federal infrastructure bill also set aside $14 billion to give low-income households up to $30 a month in discounts on their internet bills. Eligible families must register by February 7th.
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