Orrum receives Smart Rural Community designation by NTCA -- The Rural Broadband Association

The Robesonian, Lumberton, N.C.
·3 min read

Jun. 8—SHALLOTTE — FOCUS Broadband recently presented the Town of Orrum with the Smart Rural Community designation along with a sign to proudly display the title within the town.

The Smart Rural Community designation, given by the NTCA — The Rural Broadband Association, highlights member projects which make rural communities vibrant places to live and do business through the implementation of innovative broadband-enabled solutions. Orrum is the first town in Robeson County to receive this recognition.

The Town of Orrum received the recognition because of the work FOCUS Broadband has done to install a new, state-of-the-art fiber optic network that will serve residents and businesses there.

The project was made possible through a $2.5 million-dollar NC GREAT Grant along with an additional $1 million-dollar investment from FOCUS Broadband which is allowing the company to serve more than 2,000 addresses in the Robeson County towns of Orrum and Proctorville and the Columbus County town of Boardman.

In addition to the NC GREAT Grant funding, FOCUS Broadband also received a $2.9 million-dollar Community Connect Grant from the United States Department of Agriculture that will allow the company to serve 1,200 addresses in the Robeson County communities of Howellsville, Tolarsville and areas outside the Town of St. Pauls.

"We are excited to have fiber optic services available in Orrum and proud to be the first Robeson County town recognized as a Smart Rural Community," said Mayor Wilton Caulder. "We are happy to have FOCUS Broadband's service in this area and welcome them into our community."

Over the years, FOCUS Broadband has helped bring fiber optic technology to public schools, local health care facilities, communications centers, as well as many other vital businesses and organizations.

FOCUS Broadband's drive to provide cutting-edge technologies to communities served by the company, along with ongoing network upgrades and expansion efforts, was a major factor in the company being named a Smart Rural Community Provider by The Rural Broadband Association.

"Providing a fiber optic network to the Town of Orrum will have a lasting positive effect on this community and deliver a broadband connection that will give families and businesses more opportunities to connect to school, work, healthcare and entertainment," said Keith Holden, FOCUS Broadband CEO.

The Town of Orrum now joins other FOCUS Broadband served towns such as the Town of Brunswick, Ocean Isle Beach, Holden Beach, Oak Island, Fair Bluff, Belville and Shallotte who have also been honored as Smart Rural Communities. For more information about what FOCUS Broadband is doing to increase access to broadband in Robeson County, visit fasterrobeson.com.

FOCUS Broadband is a member-owned cooperative providing a multitude of communications services, including telephone, business services, wireless, broadband internet, cable television, and home security, in Brunswick County, North Carolina.

FOCUS Broadband provides services in additional areas through its wholly-owned subsidiary, ATMC, LLC. FOCUS Broadband is the largest communications cooperative in North Carolina and one of the largest in the country. For more information on products and services from FOCUS Broadband, visit www.FOCUSBroadband.com.