70% of Colquitt County (GA) to Be ‘Fiber Ready’ in 2024

Fiber internet provider Kinetic plans to make 70% of Colquitt County (GA), or more than 17,000 homes and businesses, “fiber ready” in 2024 in a $32.5 million public-private partnership. Some 40% of the county, or more than 9,700 homes and businesses, including in county seat Moultrie, are already eligible for Kinetic’s fiber broadband, which provides internet speeds of up to 8 gigabits per second. Kinetic plans to add nearly 7,400 more customers with the new construction. The communities benefiting from the new construction are Moultrie, Berlin, Doerun, Funston and Norman Park. Kinetic plans to lay more than 440 miles of optical fiber cable as it works its way through all the communities to bring high-speed internet to customers. It has already laid more than 180 miles of fiber cable. The company will use about $21.4 million in state grant money from the federal government. The money comes from the U.S. Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds program, part of the federal American Rescue Plan COVID-19 stimulus package. Kinetic will invest $11.1 million and cover any cost overruns.