Two Firms Seek Federal Help for Internet in Northern Virginia

The growing number of Internet users in western Loudoun County (LA) has been slowing connections on laptops and smartphones, technology experts say. Busy wireless networks are bogging down the telecommunication towers, said Marty Dougherty, chief executive of Roadstar Internet, a Leesburg-based high-speed Internet service provider. Greater Internet capacity is needed "now with the advent of YouTube and iTunes and everything that people are using the Internet for," he said. "The old feeds that came into those towers are nowhere near adequate," Dougherty said. "At some point, you reach a wall." Dougherty said he hopes to tear down that wall in an effort to boost Internet speed and reliability. His company teamed up with NOVEC Solutions and has applied for a federal stimulus grant to expand broadband service in western Loudoun.