Grafton County, New Hampshire, is Underway on $17 Million Middle-Mile Broadband Build

Grafton County, New Hampshire's second-largest county, began a $17 million project to construct a 200-mile fiber-optic middle-mile network. The initiative, led by the Grafton County Board of Commissioners and the county’s broadband committee, with infrastructure provider eX² Technology, aims to transform connectivity in 25 municipalities across the county that currently lack reliable Internet access. The project was spurred by the COVID-19 pandemic and revealed the dire need for broadband expansion across rural Grafton County. The project is partially funded through the National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s Enabling Middle Mile Broadband Infrastructure grant program. Nearly $12 million of its $17 million budget came from this federal funding; the county provided the remaining amount. The middle-mile network will connect Grafton County’s communities to a central hub at Plymouth State University. Hub66, a local internet service provider already active in rural Grafton County, has partnered with the county to support and maintain the network. Construction is already underway, and is expected to be done in December 2025.