Three years ago, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, was passed by United States Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden, which included $65 billion to connect everyone in America to affordable high-speed internet while also providing connected devices and digital skills training to those who need it. In May 2022, U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina M. Raimondo was in Durham to officially launch Internet for All, a federal investment administered by the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA).

MCNC applied for Internet for All funding in September 2022 to extend its high-speed broadband network in two strategic routes. In June 2023, MCNC successfully received $11,186,162.82 from the NTIA for the High-speed Economies for Rural Opportunity, or HERO Project. The overall total HERO Project with contributions by MCNC and Golden LEAF Foundation is approximately $19 million ($18,959,598). Golden LEAF awarded $2,672,234 to be used as matching funds towards the southeastern North Carolina portion; MCNC is providing the rest for the project ($5,101,201).

The total operation of MCNC’s network currently is 4,536 miles and will increase another 209 miles next year with the completion of the two new HERO routes, which include Albemarle to Winston-Salem (74 miles), and between Sanford via Fayetteville to Jacksonville (135 miles). The project has the potential to transform several rural regions in North Carolina.

Here’s how the HERO Project came to be over the last three years as we look ahead to 2025.

Timeline

• Nov. 6, 2021: United States Congress passes the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
• Nov. 15, 2021: Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is signed into law.
• May 16, 2022: U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina M. Raimondo arrives in Durham to launch Internet for All
  
• May 27, 2022: MCNC offers full support for Internet for All in North Carolina. Link.
  
• June 21, 2022: NTIA publishes a Notice of Funding Opportunity for the $1.5 billion Enabling Middle Mile Broadband Infrastructure Grant Program (MMG Program), which is one of the three different funding components made available within the Internet for All initiative.
  
• Aug. 4, 2022: The Golden LEAF Foundation allots funding support for HERO Project. Link.
  
• Sept. 27, 2022: MCNC applies for Internet for All funding through the MMG Program to extend NCREN by 209 fiber miles via two strategic routes
  
• Sept. 30, 2022: MMG Program application deadline.
  
• Oct. 4, 2022: NTIA reports that more than 235 grant applications were submitted for the MMG Program totaling more than $5.5 billion in funding requests. MCNC was the only Research and Education Network, or REN, in the country to directly apply for funding through this program.
  
• Feb. 16, 2023: NTIA completes review of all MMG Program applicants.
• June 16, 2023: MCNC receives $11.2 million for the HERO Project to support improvements to broadband access and affordability in central and southeastern North Carolina. The total HERO Project is estimated at $19 million. Read MCNC announcement. Read NTIA announcement.
  
• June 17, 2023: MCNC releases first Request of Proposal (RFP) for Engineering Design Services and Environmental Assessment for the HERO Project. Link.
• June 26, 2023: North Carolina receives BEAD (Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment) funding. The state’s total allocation was $1.5 billion, to be used to expand high-speed internet to underserved communities across the state. Read NC Announcement. Read NTIA Announcement.
  
• July 17, 2023: Public Comment Period closes for North Carolina’s BEAD Five-Year Plan.
  
• July 20, 2023: MCNC hosts first HERO Project podcast. Link.
• Aug. 18, 2023: RFP #1 for Engineering Design Services and Environmental Assessment closes.
  
• Aug. 22, 2023: NTIA launches Internet for All Technical Assistance Corner. Link.
• Aug. 29, 2023: The N.C. Department of Information Technology (NCDIT) Division of Broadband and Digital Equity’s five-year action plan for the state’s BEAD program funding is approved by both the NTIA and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).
  
• Oct. 9, 2023: MCNC releases second RFP for Outside/Inside Plant Materials. Link.
  
• Oct. 12, 2023: MCNC selects Colliers Engineering & Design for engineering design services and the environmental assessment for the HERO Project. Read announcement.
• Nov. 3, 2023: RFP #2 for Outside/Inside Plant Materials closes. Vendors selected include: Adams Cable Equipment; Millennium Broadband Solutions; Netceed; Novalight Telecom Supply; STLOSP, Inc.; and Tarheel Contractor Supply (a certified women’s business enterprise).
  
• March 10, 2024: CVO Enterprises, KVA, and River City Construction (a certified women’s business enterprise) were selected for Construction and Splicing Services.
  
• March 22, 2024: NTIA Launches Permitting and Environmental Mapping Tool. Link.
• March 26, 2024: North Carolina’s Digital Equity Plan Accepted. Link.
• March 29, 2024: NTIA launches the State Digital Equity Capacity Grant program, making available more than $800 million for states to implement their digital equity plans. Link.
• June 18, 2024: North Carolina awarded $30 million to close the digital divide. Link.
• July 24, 2024: NTIA launches the Digital Equity Competitive Grant program, making nearly $1 billion available to support programs that ensure communities have access to devices and skills regardless of their background or circumstances. Link.
• Sept. 5, 2024: HERO Project breaks ground at Central Carolina Community College. Link.
• Sept. 12, 2024: Podcast – HERO Project brings generational opportunity in North Carolina. Link.
• Oct. 1, 2024: MCNC launches construction Progress to show project updates in real-time. Link.
• Oct. 3, 2024: North Carolina’s Internet for All initial proposal accepted. Link.
• Nov. 12, 2024: Approximately 25 percent of conduit has been constructed on HERO project.
• Nov. 15, 2024: NTIA releases BEAD Progress Dashboard. Link.
• 2025 and beyond: Target completion for HERO Project is by the end of June 2025.

Potential Impacts

Access to high-speed internet is essential to thrive in modern North Carolina. Unfortunately, many rural areas still struggle with inadequate or non-existent broadband. MCNC produced a series of blogs for the HERO Project in FY 2024 covering a range of topics and ideas. As you can see, there is now a reason for optimism in many of these unserved, underserved and overlooked communities.

2023

• HERO Blog #1: Inspiring hope in area codes left behind (Aug. 8). Link.
• HERO Blog #2: Lacking connectivity comes with consequences (Aug. 22). Link.
• HERO Blog #3: Building relationships, gaining influence, taking action (Sept. 6). Link
• HERO Blog #4: Empowering students, teachers through broadband (Sept. 14). Link.
• HERO Blog #5: Making rural NC safer through Broadband (Sept. 27). Link.
• HERO Blog #6: The high-speed cure for NC’s digital health divide (Oct. 11). Link.
• HERO Blog #7: Broadband creates jobs in rural North Carolina (Oct. 26). Link.
• HERO Blog #8: Broadband crucial to mission success in military communities (Nov. 8). Link.
• HERO Blog #9: Thanksgiving – How broadband is revolutionizing AgTech (Nov. 21). Link.

2024

• HERO Blog #10: New year, new opportunities as MCNC expands broadband (Jan. 12). Link.
• HERO Blog #11: Rural NC communities ready for high-speed renaissance (Jan. 25). Link.
• HERO Blog #12: Digital deserts raise concern for kids in rural communities (Feb. 7). Link.
• HERO Blog #13: Broadband turns dreams into success for rural entrepreneurs (Feb. 21). Link.
• HERO Blog #14: Broadband’s role in NC’s booming entertainment industry (March 6). Link.
• HERO Blog #15: Broadband is backbone of modern libraries in NC (March 20). Link.
• HERO Blog #16: STEM is North Carolina’s secret sauce (April 3). Link.
• HERO Blog #17: Broadband fuels culture, creativity and quality of life (April 18).Link.
• HERO Blog #18: Technology, internet is the catch of the day for NC seafood (May 8). Link.
• HERO Blog #19: Expanding broadband helps NC stay ahead of the storm (May 30). Link.
• HERO Blog #20: Broadband in postsecondary education makes NC better (June 18). Link.

Progress Reports

As the HERO Project continues to progress, this webpage will be updated with photos, videos, and more from the people making the project possible. Stay tuned as this project really ramps in 2025 with a target completion date set for mid-to-late June.

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