The Cherokee County Chamber of Commerce announced progress in the expansion of high-speed internet access for over 26,000 residents and businesses, spearheaded by software company Kinetic by Windstream.
The project is expected to be completed in mid-2023, according to a press release.
Kinetic specializes in providing “an enhanced fiber network to consumers and businesses primarily in rural areas in 18 states,” the press release said.
Two percent of Cherokee is marked “unserved” and lacks access to broadband, mostly in the northern part of the county, according to 2022 state data from the Department of Community Affairs.
The expansion of internet access in rural Georgia has been one of the top priorities for state lawmakers over the last few years.
The COVID-19 pandemic led to online school and work after many business and schools shuttered their doors, which exposed gaping holes in access to the internet across the state. Earlier this year, Gov. Brian Kemp funneled $408 million in federal relief funds toward funding internet expansion.
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