More Sampson County residents to get broadband through state grants.

Nearly $26 million in Stop-Gap Solutions grants will fund broadband line extensions to connect 5,161 rural North Carolina homes, businesses, and community institutions, and local providers Star Communications and Brightspeed will receive awards for locations including Sampson County.

State awards under the Stop-Gap Solutions program will fund targeted broadband line extensions serving rural North Carolina, including locations in Sampson County. The governor's office announced nearly $26 million in awards intended to connect 5,161 homes, businesses, and community anchor institutions across 66 counties by the end of the year. Local providers Star Communications and Connect Holding II, LLC (Brightspeed) are listed among the recipients. The program is administered by the N.C. Department of Information Technology's Division of Broadband and Digital Opportunity using federal American Rescue Plan Act funds. Key details: - Nearly $26 million in Stop-Gap Solutions awards are designated to connect 5,161 rural homes, businesses, and community anchor institutions in 66 counties by the end of the year. - Star Communications is set to receive $443,155 to serve 78 locations across Sampson and Bladen counties. - Connect Holding II, LLC/Brightspeed is set to receive $1.677 million for households in multiple counties, including Sampson. - The program uses American Rescue Plan Act funds and is run by NCDIT's Division of Broadband and Digital Opportunity. - Funding is aimed at targeted line extensions to reach unserved and underserved small clusters, community anchor institutions, and certain state facilities. Summary: Officials say the projects are intended to expand access to telehealth, student internet access, business markets, and public services in the connected areas. Work under the Stop-Gap program is scheduled to extend infrastructure to the listed locations by the end of the year. Deployment and local implementation details beyond the announced awards were not specified in the release.