Orange County to spend up to $4.4 million from the ARPA fund in high-speed internet project

The Orange County Board of County Commissioners unanimously approved a proposal from Spectrum to provide affordable high-speed internet to all households during its Aug. 30 meeting. 

Orange County will utilize up to $4.4 million in funding from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 to ensure all homes have access to the service. 

According to a press release, several rural residential properties that are located in the areas of South Apopka and East Orange County have “no access to the modern fixed broadband infrastructure necessary to participate in online employment, education, telehealth opportunities, services and more.” 

Spectrum will provide the infrastructure for the project, which will include installation, marketing and educational programming that will be able to happen thanks to the federal funding. 

“It is public private partnerships like this that allow Orange County to move forward,” Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings said. “We are providing equitable access to our rural residents and bridging the digital divide that exists because of a lack of infrastructure.

“High-speed access is not a luxury. In the year 2022 and beyond, it is a necessity. Global connectedness brings vital services including telehealth, education, and access to information that proved critical during the pandemic. I’m pleased that we will soon be able to say that 100% of Orange County is connected by broadband.” 

Once the project is completed, Spectrum will work on breaking ground to lay fiber optics cable before the year ends. 

Orange County residents who live in the affected rural areas are expected to have fixed broadband access in 2023 and 2024.