Lumos has been lighting up the Carolinas with fiber optics, and now its offerings will be available to eligible Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) recipients at no cost. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) defines the ACP as helping to "ensure that households can afford the broadband they need for work, school, health care, and more.

In response to the White House initiative from last May, Lumos aligned with internet service providers (ISPs) to offer free internet plan for ACP recipients. This takes advantage of an ACP plan subsidy and lower-cost pricing plans from ISPs.

Lumos was formed last year through a joint venture between North Carolina’s NorthState and Virginia’s Lumos Networks, with a goal to bring more than 20,000 miles of fiber optic network and reach 1 million businesses and residents by 2026.

Last month, the fiber firm forked over $100 million for a fiber-optic expansion in South Carolina. The project will see nearly 1,200 miles of fiber built across the state. The news was closely followed by a line of similar fiber expansions in the U.S. from providers like GTT Communications, Infinera, and Bluebird Network.

“Education and awareness continue to be challenges with [the] ACP as many qualifying families are either not aware of the program or don’t realize that they qualify,” a Lumos spokesperson told SDxCentral via email. The company stated that its “long-standing relationships” with North Carolina's communities will help it reach more pockets of people. “We will continue to look for opportunities for outreach,” Lumos noted.

Lumos CEO Brian Stading stressed in an interview with SDxCentral that the company’s “focus is on communities that are not currently serviced with a fiber network and that are efficient extensions of our existing network.”

With plans to take its 200,000 household base to one million, the “ambition is a 5x increase in five years,” Stading said. “Our growth plans require a strong network of partners across the spectrum from fiber optic manufacturers to engineering and construction firms.”

It's also seeking more partnerships to help reduce its time-to-market.