Windstream scores $21 million public-private fiber partnership in Georgia

Windstream is targeting roughly 8,300 additional locations in Georgia with its Kinetic fiber network, thanks to a new public-private partnership with the state’s Union County. The $20.5 million project will provide fiber to homes, businesses, and schools across Blairsville, Suches, and nearby parts of the county. Kinetic plans to lay about 550 miles of underground optical fiber cable for the deployments, which are expected to be completed in 2024. Union County is committing $11.2 million in state grant money from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), along with $500,000 in matching funds. Kinetic is investing $8.9 million into the project and will cover any cost overruns. Construction is set to begin early in the second half of this year, said a Windstream representative, with the company working now on getting engineering and permitting squared away. The partnership is part of Windstream’s plan to build 95,000 new fiber locations in Georgia in 2023.