High Point, NC (August 8, 2022)—NorthState will make a big impact in Forsyth and Randolph counties, bringing ultra-high-speed fiber internet service to approximately 38,000 residents and businesses. The NorthState expansion will blanket the region with more than 683 miles of the latest fiber-optic technology featuring 100 Gig speed capacity at a cost of approximately
$51 million.
The expansion will bring fiber internet to underserved areas of Bethania, Lewisville and Winston-Salem in Forsyth County and nearly 100% fiber coverage to the Asheboro, Franklinville and Ramseur communities in Randolph County. NorthState will fully fund the project and will begin engineering work immediately, with construction starting in late 2022. The company estimates that most of the project will be completed in under two years.
Most consumers in NorthState’s planned expansion in Forsyth and Randolph counties are now served by cable or DSL infrastructure, which lacks the upload speed capacity required for today’s applications. NorthState’s fiber networks are built for the future using the best technology available and with available speed tiers of up to 2000 Mbps x 2000 Mbps—equating to 154 times faster uploads and 12 times faster downloads than traditional cable.
“The demand for bandwidth is only increasing as consumers connect more and more devices—and use more and more two-way applications like Zoom and gaming—that demand not just high download speeds but equally fast upload speeds. Fiber is the only technology that can meet these demands and unlock the potential of what’s next,” said Jay Winn, NorthState’s Chief Customer Officer.
“Our expansion in the Triad will bring a much-needed competitive choice. These communities will have internet built for the future,” Winn added.
Winn said the expansion project will include 23,000 homes and businesses in Forsyth County and 15,000 homes in Randolph County. Approximately 28% of NorthState’s expansion in Randolph County includes areas where there is only DSL (no cable) internet today, meaning there is a crucial lack of high-speed internet in any form.
“As Forsyth County continues to grow, we are delighted to have NorthState develop high speed, state of the art communications infrastructure. We are most appreciative of NorthState’s investment so that our citizens can rely on improved connectivity to work, play and thrive,” said Forsyth County Commissioner David Plyer.
“The vision of the Randolph County Digital Alliance is that ‘every household, farm, and business will have the opportunity to EARN, LEARN, AND BE WELL by accessing needed digital resources,” said Kenneth Sherin, N.C. Cooperative Extension County Director for Randolph County. “The investment by NorthState will allow Randolph County residents to realize this vision… broadband access and digital skills are essential in our present economy.”
Residents in the expansion areas will receive communication by mail when construction begins. They can also sign up for email updates at northstate.net.
About NorthState
NorthState provides ultra-high-speed fiber internet service, wall-to-wall Wi-Fi, voice and streaming services to nearly 200,000 homes and businesses in North Carolina and Virginia, where we’re known as Lumos. Our customers enjoy the fastest, symmetrical gig speeds available built on a 100% fiber-optic network they can truly count on—all backed by local, expert customer care teams. Learn more at NorthState.net.