State leaders say high-speed internet access is finally on the way to hundreds of homes and businesses in Habersham and Rabun counties, thanks to the Georgia Technology Authority’s Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program.
State Rep. Victor Anderson (R-Cornelia), chair of the House Governmental Affairs Committee, and Sen. Bo Hatchett (R-Cornelia), a Governor’s Floor Leader, announced that both counties are included in the state’s final BEAD proposal—a major step toward connecting unserved and underserved areas of Northeast Georgia.
“I am pleased to see the commitment to Northeast Georgia for expansion of high-speed internet access to remote and rural locations,” Anderson said. “Floor Leader Hatchett and I have worked diligently with the Georgia Technology Authority, local governments and organizations since the announcement of the BEAD grant program to ensure that Habersham and Rabun counties were properly considered.”
Hatchett said the fight for broadband in the mountains has been years in the making.
“The need for broadband in our region has been clear for years, but the pandemic underscored just how essential it truly is,” Hatchett said. “After being left out of previous funding opportunities, we knew this round was too important to miss. That’s why Chairman Anderson and I worked to secure as much funding as possible for Northeast Georgia. From there, the federal rubric determined which providers were ultimately awarded the grants.”
How much funding is coming
Once federally approved, Habersham County is set to receive more than $3.4 million in grants:
-
Fiber expansion: $3,334,017.94 awarded to Windstream to bring 688 new connections.
-
Satellite service: $78,337.70 awarded to SpaceX/Starlink for 76 new connections.
Rabun County stands to gain nearly $5 million:
-
Fiber expansion: $4,757,512.38 awarded to Windstream to add 3,194 connections.
-
Satellite service: $287,733.76 awarded to SpaceX/Starlink for 361 connections.
A statewide push
The BEAD program is funded by more than $1.3 billion from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). Georgia’s share is being managed by the Georgia Technology Authority in partnership with the Governor’s Office of Planning and Budget.
The proposal is currently open for a seven-day public comment period before submission to the NTIA for final approval. Once approved, work can begin to deliver long-awaited service to rural areas where reliable internet has been scarce.
More information about the BEAD Program can be found on the Georgia Technology Authority’s website.
