NORWAY, S.C. — Norway residents in Orangeburg County are celebrating a newly announced plan to bring high-speed internet access to their area for the first time. Many residents said the development was long overdue.
“It was never really available here,” said John Cuttino, a lifelong Norwegian resident.
He also owns Three Saucers Mercantile & Bistro.
Businesses like his face obstacles because of slow internet connections and intermittent service.
“This is just a testament to the times we’re in,” he said. “Everything is becoming very digital, and not being able to access that digital realm can definitely be detrimental to the population.”
At a recent event, Spectrum announced plans to bring its broadband network to 530 homes and small businesses in Norway.
“We can get by with the current service, but we can’t say it’s 100% reliable,” Cuttino said.
Cedric Kitt, senior director of broadband infrastructure at the Office of Regulatory Affairs, emphasized the importance of addressing the digital divide, particularly highlighted by the pandemic.
“It’s become very clear that the entire state can have access to broadband, but we need to build the infrastructure for that,” Kitt said.
Norwegian Mayor Lynn Garrick highlighted the significant impact this development will have on the rural town.
“All of us will have access to telemedicine if we need it,” Garrick said. “Kids will be able to attend school and their schoolwork will go much more smoothly.”
“This is a really big deal for the town and hopefully connects us to something bigger and better, and we hope that now that we’ve done that, businesses will come in,” Garrick said. added.
The goal is to complete the project by Christmas 2024.
