By combining private investment with the state’s funding, Comporium made service available to more than 1,650 addresses in South Carolina this year – 850 of which were in Chester and Lancaster Counties. Now, more residents within a large portion of northeastern Lancaster County, can now take advantage of the local telephone, internet, cable and home security provider's fiber-based broadband services.
Centrally operating in York and Lancaster counties in the north-central section of South Carolina, the company on November 17 announced it has upgraded its network in a broad swath along the state boundary line, giving customers in that area access to internet speeds up to 1 gigabit per second. Comporium also established free public Wi-Fi access at the Buford Recreation Center as an additional service to these rural communities.
Working with state and federal agencies is not a new concept for Comporium in finding ways to upgrade service to rural customers. Many recent upgrades were the result of rural broadband grants made possible through funding from the South Carolina Department of Commerce, and administered by the South Carolina Broadband Office within the Office of Regulatory Staff.
In 2020, the company completed an extensive network expansion around the town of Van Wyck, S.C. That project was funded through the CARES Act and made high-speed internet service available to more than 485 addresses in the area.
Matthew Dosch, Comporium’s EVP and COO, commented:
“This state-of-the-art network will meet the broadband needs of this area for many years to come. By working with the South Carolina Broadband Office and its grant process, Comporium can extend our fiber network to reach more of these very rural areas of our state.”
Comporium also participates in the FCC’s Affordable Connectivity Program. This federal program allows eligible homes to get a $30 discount off regular monthly rates for internet. This participation is a part of the company’s ongoing commitment to the community.
At the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, Comporium provided service at no charge to hundreds of student households when schools were closed for public health reasons, and continues to offer internet, voice, security, and video services with a variety of subscription options intended to suit every user’s needs.