Kinetic Begins Work on $8M Fiber Project in North Carolina

June 30, 2025 – Kinetic, a brand of Little Rock, Arkansas-based internet service provider Windstream, has begun construction on an $8 million fiber project in North Carolina, aiming to bring high-speed internet to underserved parts of two counties located just northeast of Charlotte.

The project was expected to provide broadband access to over 1,000 locations in Cabarrus County and nearly 900 locations in Stanly County. Funding comes from a combination of state, local, and private contributions.

Kinetic will invest approximately $1.5 million in Cabarrus and over $910,000 in Stanly, while the North Carolina Department of Information Technology will contribute $1.75 million to the Cabarrus build and $1.1 million to the Stanly portion. 

The project is part of North Carolina’s Completing Access to Broadband program, which awarded $67 million to ISPs in June 2024 to expand broadband access across the state.

The CAB program, fueled by a $400 million appropriation from the American Rescue Plan, facilitates collaboration between North Carolina counties and NCDIT to identify areas lacking internet access, solicit proposals from prequalified ISPs, and swiftly award contracts to bridge the digital divide. 

Selected providers are required to deliver speeds of 100 megabits per second for both downloads and uploads.

“Thanks to these projects, more rural residents in Stanly and Cabarrus counties will soon have access to high-speed internet, enabling them to work remotely, engage in online education, participate in telehealth services, and contribute to a stronger state economy,” Teena Piccione, secretary of the NCDIT and state chief information officer said. “By fostering this partnership between the state, counties and Kinetic, we are creating a significant impact for North Carolinians.”

Kinetic Chairman and CEO Paul Sunu stated in a release that the company expects the project to be completed by the end of 2026. All told, Kinetic plans to lay 95 miles of fiber in Cabarrus County, and 78 miles of fiber in Stanly County.