Vermont Community Broadband Board to Launch Program to Help Vermonters Overcome Barriers Connecting to Broadband

The buildout of broadband is well underway in Vermont, with eight out of the state’s ten Communications Union Districts (CUDs) currently connecting customers. But for Vermonters who live more than 400 feet from the fiber line along the road, that connection can come at a cost that’s unaffordable. The Vermont Community Broadband Board (VCBB) recently approved a staff proposal to develop a new Long Drop Program later in 2024 to address this issue and help low-income Vermonters get connected to broadband. The fund will be made up of $2.5 million of remaining American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Capital Projects Fund (CPF) that has been returned to the VCBB after some of the broadband buildout projects came in under budget, as well as $1.5 million from the Connectivity Initiative. The VCBB is in the process of developing the program and plans to issue a request for proposals toward the end of the year.