NEESES, S.C. (WCIV) — U.S. Rep. James E. Clyburn toured a broadband construction site in Neeses, South Carolina, where Comporium, Inc. is laying fiber as part of a significant push to expand internet access.
Backing the effort is President Joe Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which has granted South Carolina around $551 million to assist in connecting every home and business to high-speed broadband.
“World-class high-speed internet service should be affordable and accessible to all Americans, no matter where they live. In South Carolina alone, over 350,000 people don’t have reliable access to internet at home,” said Clyburn (D, S.C.-06). “I was proud to visit the broadband construction site in Neeses to see the installation of high-speed internet fiber to connect homes and businesses in the region.”
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As a result of the initiative, government officials said more than 170,000 homes in South Carolina now have high-speed internet. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act represents a $65 billion national investment in broadband, with $48.2 billion managed by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s Office of Internet Connectivity and Growth.
Clyburn noted that an estimated 7,010 sites in Orangeburg County are either not connected to the internet or have a weak connection.
“Rural America deserves the same level of high-speed internet service that is enjoyed by urban and suburban America,” he said.
Rep. Clyburn, founder and chair of the House Rural Broadband Task Force, is a prominent advocate for closing the digital divide.
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law not only funds the expansion of high-speed broadband coverage but also mandates affordable options on newly built networks and invests in projects to promote internet adoption.
Recently, Clyburn announced additional funding for South Carolina to help implement digital equity initiatives, like internet access and digital skills training. South Carolina was one of seven states to land more funding.