PITTSBORO — The Town of Goldston, Randolph Communications, and Chatham County are thrilled to announce a fiber project that will bring high-speed internet to hundreds of people. Bringing broadband to Goldston will expand economic opportunities by giving its residents access to additional employment, educational, virtual healthcare, precision agriculture, and social opportunities.
Through the partnership, more than 350 residents and businesses combined will be able to access fiber internet. Quality and reliable high-speed internet will be provided to the Goldston Public Library and cell site, along with critical connectivity to fire departments and other essential community facilities in the Town of Goldston, ensuring that these facilities have reliable connectivity during emergencies. Hot spots will be installed at Goldston Recreational Park and on Main Street. The project will also connect educational institutions, places of worship, and small businesses.
“We are grateful for our partnership with Chatham County Government and Randolph Communications as fiber internet is the best way to meet Goldston’s growing needs for reliable high-speed internet connections,” said Goldston Mayor Jonathan Hensley. “This investment will improve the quality of life for those who live and work in the Goldston community that will last for many years to come.”
Randolph Communications’ fiber network guarantees all customers within this project reliable and affordable broadband that would put them well above what the FCC considers sufficient broadband. Internet packages are symmetrical, which means the upload and download for bandwidth is mirrored. Speeds begin at 300/300Mbps and go up to 1GIG/1GIG. Package options available will not be throttled or contain data caps. Pricing per package will be based on the level of speed offered.
“Randolph Communications has a strong history of providing high-speed internet to rural areas where insufficient broadband exists. We’ve always had a footprint in Chatham County due to our member areas; but, we have been self-funding and deploying fiber aggressively in other parts of Chatham County since 2015,” said CEO & General Manager Kim Garner. “Broadband access is now an essential service that Randolph Communications will offer at affordable rates in Goldston, and we are excited to extend our partnership with Chatham County Government to meet its needs while also meeting the needs of over 350 residents that have been underserved for too long.”
Preliminary work on the project has begun, which includes staking and permitting. The goal is to get the fiber mainline completed by fall 2023. Once the mainline has been installed, Randolph Communications can then begin the process of individual fiber drop installations for those who have signed up for the service.