Regional Broadband Initiative

UCPCOG and its Regional Broadband Task Force received a $72,000 grant from the US Department of Commerce, Economic Development Administration (EDA) to conduct a Regional Broadband Initiative with partners to better understand and address broadband challenges and opportunities for underserved communities across the Upper Coastal Plain five-county region.  

The initiative's scope of work includes:

• Surveying local governments to determine current conditions, needs, goals, challenges, existing assets, and potential partnerships related to improving broadband infrastructure
• Surveying public in communities across the region to more accurately determine needs, digital literacy, and more
• Testing internet speeds in various locations throughout the region
• Mapping broadband assets region-wide (public buildings, vertical assets, right-of-ways, planned/existing residential and commercial areas, and others)
• Providing stakeholder and community educational and targeted, like webinars and workshops, to improve technical expertise, build relationships, support sound decision making, increase public demand, and more. 

Upper Coastal Plain Region featured on WRAL Documentary Disconnected

UCP Broadband Task Force members Montre Freeman (Town of Enfield) and Gene Scott (City of Wilson) were featured in WRAL's Disconnected.  This documentary highlights the region's challenges in obtaining or expanding adequate, affordable, and reliable high-speed internet. 
You can view the full documentary here. 

• Improve robust and affordable broadband access to un-served and underserved areas to meet present and future needs.
• Establish a regional broadband task force.
• Identify and prioritize areas where high speed internet and broadband for middle and last mile is needed.
• Create opportunities to optimize return on public and private investments in broadband infrastructure that can improve broadband services in the region. 
• Identify incentives (e.g. grants, loans, tax programs) to encourage greater private investment by the telecoms in the broadband infrastructure.
• Allow for public investment in broadband infrastructure

• How Localities Can Monetize Broadband-Enabling Assets and Expand Connectivity
• Becoming Broadband Ready
• Instituting a Dig Once Policy
• TELEHEALTH initiatives to serve rural Americans.                                
• US Department of Commerce National Telecommunications and Information Administration has an interactive website: https://broadbandusa.ntia.doc.gov/ 
• The Community Broadband Playbook, developed in NC DIT’s Broadband Infrastructure Office (BIO), provides communities with functional tools including templates, examples, ideas and many more resources that communities can use to build a broadband strategy that addresses their needs.To see the playbook, visit the Community Broadband Playbook website.
• Connecting North Carolina Broadband Plan
• Leaping the Digital Divide:  Encouraging Policies and Partnerships to Improve Broadband Access Across North Carolina
• NC Department of Information Technology: The Homework Gap in North Carolina

Areas of our region lack adequate broadband access.  High-speed broadband is a necessity for the development of resilient and successful communities.  It is required for businesses to thrive and ultra-high-speed broadband in critical to global competitivness.