North Carolina laws do not allow local governments to own or operate an internet service provider, and prior to 2021, county governments were largely not involved in broadband funding. However, in recent years, Union County has been among the local governments actively pursuing funding opportunities to expand high-speed internet access in the community.
Check back here for updates on the County's broadband expansion funding.
LATEST UPDATE - APRIL 2026: The Growing Rural Economies with Access to Technology (GREAT) expansion is complete for 1,943 Union County locations with help from a partnership with Charter Communications. The County used $1.5 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds for the expansion.
Keep up with statewide progress on the NC Broadband Awards Dashboard.
MAY 2025: Completing Access to Broadband (CAB) – The North Carolina Department of Information Technology (NCDIT) selected Union County to receive additional funding through the Completing Access to Broadband (CAB) program. Read the details in this news article.
JUNE 2024: Completing Access to Broadband (CAB) - North Carolina's Department of Information Technology's (NCDIT) Division of Broadband and Digital Equity selected Union County to receive a portion of the $400 million in federal funding to expand internet access. The state coordinated CAB, which requires a county, state, and internet service provider match. The County will work with internet service provider Windstream North Carolina LLC, which NCDIT selected, to construct, install, and operate broadband infrastructure. Read the details in this news article. Completion required by 10/31/26.
TBD: Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) - The state manages over $1.3 billion in federal funding to ensure 100% of the county has broadband service by the program's completion. No county match is required. Completion is required by the end of 2026.
Started 2024: The Stop-Gap Program - The state allocates $86 million in federal funding to expand broadband in unserved or underserved areas following investment from the Growing Rural Economies with Access to Technology (GREAT) grant program and the Completing Access to Broadband (CAB) program. No county match is required. Completion date requirements are to be determined.
2021: Growing Rural Economies with Access to Technology (GREAT) - The state coordinates $350 million in federal funding for private broadband service providers to connect unserved areas of North Carolina with broadband service as quickly as possible. Counties had no input in the decision-making. Completion is required by 12/31/26.
2020: Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF) -
Established in 2019, this federal program offers subsidies via the Federal Communications Commission to build out broadband service specifically to 668 rural residences in Union County. The County was not involved in this process. Completion is required by 12/31/26.
