Expanding Rural Broadband Access in North Carolina
In the R Street Institute’s 2020 Broadband Scorecard Report for the states, North Carolina was given a B+ grade. The scorecard ranks states on a broad range of laws concerning broadband deployment, including right-of-way access, zoning to construction permits, franchising, etc. On the raw score, North Carolina was tied for 16th among the states — edging closer to the middle of the pack.14 R Street recommends that North Carolina broadband policy focus on “the deployment of wireline infrastructure to balance out the great work the state has done on wireless.” 15
In this competition where time is of the essence, and where resources will flow to their most efficient and effective uses first, in what areas should North Carolina improve? What steps can policymakers take to clear the way for a timely and cost-efficient deployment of broadband infrastructure in unserved areas of the state?
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14. Jeffrey Westling, “2020 Broadband Scorecard Report,” R Street Institute, February 10, 2021.
15. Tom Struble and Jeffery Westling, “2019 Broadband Scorecard Report,” R Street Institute, February 12, 2020.
