The State of Georgia has awarded $8.5 million to Kinetic by Windstream to deploy fiber broadband infrastructure in three Georgia counties. The grants are the second Kinetic has received this year from the state’s Capital Projects Fund Grant Program, using money awarded via the American Rescue Plan Act.
The grants, which Kinetic will match with $11.2 million of its own money, aim to support deployment of fiber broadband networks to 1,425 locations in Calhoun County, 420 locations in Echols County, and 299 locations in Webster County. Kinetic says that it has launched planning and engineering efforts for the deployments, which the company expects to complete by the grant deadline of year-end 2026.
Georgia Governor Brian Kemp announced the formation of the Capital Projects Fund Grant Program in 2022. The program issued its first round of grants this past January, with Kinetic receiving $35 million to bring fiber to more than 4,500 homes and businesses in Clay, Clinch, Randolph, and Schley counties. Prior to the formation of the program, in 2021, the state also released $171 million in grants from the American Rescue Plan Act to 18 counties who are working in partnership with Kinetic to bring fiber to their communities.
Stephen Hardy | Editorial Director & Associate Publisher
Stephen Hardy is editorial director and associate publisher of Lightwave and Broadband Technology Report, part of the Lighting & Technology Group at Endeavor Business Media. Stephen is responsible for establishing and executing editorial strategy across the both brands’ websites, email newsletters, events, and other information products. He has covered the fiber-optics space for more than 20 years, and communications and technology for more than 35 years. During his tenure, Lightwave has received awards from Folio: and the American Society of Business Press Editors (ASBPE) for editorial excellence. Prior to joining Lightwave in 1997, Stephen worked for Telecommunications magazine and the Journal of Electronic Defense.
Stephen has moderated panels at numerous events, including the Optica Executive Forum, ECOC, and SCTE Cable-Tec Expo. He also is program director for the Lightwave Innovation Reviews and the Diamond Technology Reviews.
He has written numerous articles in all aspects of optical communications and fiber-optic networks, including fiber to the home (FTTH), PON, optical components, DWDM, fiber cables, packet optical transport, optical transceivers, lasers, fiber optic testing, DOCSIS technology, and more.