North State expanding service in Randolph County

NorthState has announced it intends to invest $51 million in infrastructure to bring ultra-high-speed internet service to parts of Randolph County using the latest fiber-optic technology.

The expansion will specifically target Asheboro, Franklinville and Ramseur.

NorthState, a High Point-based fiber-optic internet service provider, said it will begin engineering work immediately, with construction starting later in the year. The company also estimated that the project will be completed within two years.

Presently, the expansion areas are only served by cable or DSL. NorthState’s fiber networks provide faster upload and download times than traditional cable. The expansion is needed to meet the growing demand for bandwidth as consumers connect more and more devices – and use more and more two-way applications like Zoom meetings or gaming platforms.

The expansion project will cover 15,000 homes in Randolph County, the company said. Within Randolph County, approximately 28% of NorthState’s expansion includes areas where there is only DSL, meaning there is no high-speed internet.