County Council makes deal with Spectrum to provide 1,100 service
By Bobby Bryant, Editor
About 1,100 “unserved or underserved” homes in Darlington County are on the way to getting broadband Internet, thanks to a deal County Council has made with Spectrum Southeast. On Dec. 6, council approved a contract with the company to set up the infrastructure necessary for broadband for at least 1,139 homes that can’t get web service now. At least $1.5 million for the project is slated to come from the federal American Rescue Plan, which is intended to help cities and counties across the country recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. Spectrum Southeast is to provide about $3 million for the project. Company spokesman Patrick Paterno said that Spectrum Southeast began construction of its broadband network expansion in the county in October 2021. The initial phase of this work, he said, is focusing on central and southeastern parts of the county. Some of the nearby streets in this phase, he said, include the Bay Branch Road and Seven Bridges Road areas. Both are outside Lamar. “We are targeting to have this work completed by the end of (January), bringing services to more than 280 homes and small businesses,” Paterno said. “Broadband expansion will continue in Darlington County through the end of the year.”