Open Broadband Partnership

Did you know Orange County is working with Open Broadband to provide broadband internet services to its rural residents?

When can I expect service? (updated Feb. 2020)

Open Broadband has started providing service to homes and businesses in and around the areas noted below.  On the map below, note that the areas shaded in green and yellow and their corresponding larger light red concentric circles are the towers to which Open Broadband will be attaching equipment. Once this equipment is installed, Open Broadband will be contacting customers in those areas to see if the signal from these towers reaches their locations. 

Orange County Broadband Initiative Pilot Project Phase 1

Here’s a link to a January 2020 Memo to the Orange County Board of County Commissioner regarding the Broadband Initiative. This memo includes a timeline of events and money spent to date on this initiative. Click here for the document.

(updated Sept. 2019)

Open Broadband has started providing service to homes and businesses in and around the areas below.  Without getting into technical jargon, let’s just say that Open Broadband has hit some technical and service delivery snags that has caused the project to move slower than expected.

  • Open Broadband has equipment on towers in or near the following areas of the county:
    • Orange County Sportsplex
    • Cedar Grove Firer Department
    • Dorsett Farm Silo off of Old Cedar Grove Road
    • Hillsborough Water Old Cedar Grove Road
  • Check back here for any additional information regarding updates and changes.

What if my home is outside of the listed service areas?  Can I still pre-register?

  • Yes, you can pre-register no matter where you live.  In fact, knowing the demand outside of the initial service areas may help shape future service areas.
  • While we can’t speak for Open Broadband, they have said that their technology will have the ability to go beyond the 5 mile radii defined in Service Area Map and in fact, be able to serve some folks just beyond to the 5 mile border.  The further you get out from the service area, the coverage may still be there, but it definitely starts to degrade by distance. All of this is may be good news for our residents not in the initial service areas, but at the moment Open Broadband is concentrating on offering 25 down and 3 up service to at least 90% of the residents in Phase 1 and Phase 2.

I need more information, how do I get it?

  • Open Broadband can be reached by dialing 980-434-OPEN (6736)  ore-mailing info@openbb.net or going to their website http://openbb.net.
  • Todd McGee, Orange County Community Relations Director, is the point of contact for this initiative. He can be reached by dialing 919-245-2302 or emailing tmcgee@orangecountync.gov.