Asheville, NC – August 25, 2010 ERC Broadband (ERCB) issues its press release related to its recent Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) award as part of the ‘Golden LEAF Rural Broadband Initiative’. ERCB, as a sub-recipient to MCNC in their broadband stimulus application, will be building approximately 105 miles of fiber in five western North Carolina counties. Please refer to the  Press Release for further information.

Asheville, NC  -- August 18, 2010 -- The US Dept of Commerce announced today that MCNC has been awarded $75.5 million in Broadband Recovery Funds through the National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s (NTIA’s) Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP). The proposal, entitled the Golden LEAF Rural Broadband Initiative, will build approximately 1300 miles of new middle-mile fiber throughout the state. ERC Broadband, as a sub-recipient of this award, will be building over 100 miles of new middle-mile fiber in five western North Carolina counties. See here for entire MCNC article.

Asheville, NC  -- August 16, 2010 -- ERC Broadband general manager Hunter Goosmann has been advocating for rural broadband in Raleigh. Recently, a proposed  North Carolina Senate bill would have placed a moratorium on the creation of municipal networks until the State concluded a study of the related legal and funding issues. In rural WNC, many communities have considered the option of developing their own broadband networks when, due to the smaller return on investment, national carriers choose not to develop the necessary infrastructure. The bill was defeated July 10th. See the Mountain Express article here.

Asheville, NC  -- August 16, 2010 Country Cablevision Inc. awarded $25.3 million grant to promote social and economic development in rural Western North Carolina.-- Read the complete story from Asheville Citizen-Times Here