October 2021

Source:  WLTX
Author: Devin Johnson

ORANGEBURG, S.C. — Aiken Electric Cooperative is one of 18 internet service providers statewide working on a $30 million project to expand broadband availability in 19 rural counties in South Carolina.

“For $49.95, they will be able to have 350 MPS download and upload speed,” said Gary L. Stooksbury, Aiken Electric Cooperative’s Chief Executive Officer. “It will be like they’re in downtown Columbia.”

They’re one of six Orangeburg County internet service providers. The county got $7 million by itself. Aiken Electric’s CEO says they will focus on servicing their customers in western Orangeburg County, including Springfield, North, and along Highway Three.

“We are in the process of extending high-speed broadband internet, and it will be fiber to the homes in this area,” Stooksbury explained. “We are putting up a 288 fiber backbone that we are building to our North area into Orangeburg County that will be able to support our home project.”

The move to expand broadband comes from the South Carolina Department of Commerce, which gave $65 million to help economic development and other improvements in eligible counties identified by the state legislature. The counties were picked based on population decline and poverty rate.

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Source: SCETV
By:  Colin McCawley and Joy Bonala

The Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston and The North Central Family Medical Center in Rock Hill have been awarded funds from the Federal Communications Commission to purchase telehealth equipment.

This week, the Federal Communications Commission approved an additional 72 applications for funding commitments totaling $41,113,186 for Round 2 of its COVID-19 Telehealth Program. According to a news release from the FCC, this is the FCC’s second funding announcement of approved Round 2 applications following the nearly $42 million awarded on August 26 to health care providers in each state, territory, and the District of Columbia.

“The FCC has now approved a total of over $83 million in funding applications for Round 2 of its COVID-19 Telehealth Program,” said Acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel. “From community health clinics in urban city centers to hospitals serving rural communities across the country, these funds will support efforts to help our neighbors remain in the care of their doctors, nurses, physician assistants and trusted health care providers during this pandemic.”

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