Virginia

A Virginia law streamlining broadband deployment across railroads is in courthouse limbo. The law is in effect, however, and the electric cooperatives it was meant for are using it. Virginia’s electric co-ops have completed work at about 37 crossings since the law went into effect on July 1, 2023, according to the Virginia, Maryland and Delaware Association of Electric Cooperatives. The legislation reduced the approval process time and lowered costs to internet service providers needing to cross railroads.

Governor Glenn Youngkin (R-VA) announced more than $41 million in grants through the Virginia Telecommunications Initiative (VATI) for 10 broadband construction projects serving 20 localities throughout Virginia. The VATI program provides targeted funding to extend service to areas that are presently unserved by any broadband provider. The goal of VATI is to create strong, competitive communities throughout the Commonwealth by preparing those communities to build, utilize, and capitalize on telecommunications infrastructure.

The Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) has approved New Mexico and Virginia’s Initial Proposals for the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program. This approval enables New Mexico and Virginia to request access to funding and begin implementation of the BEAD program—a major step towards closing the digital divide and meeting the President’s goal of connecting everyone in America with affordable, reliable, high-speed Internet service.  The action allows states to request:  

UScellular continues network expansion in different parts of its 21 state operating territory, in mostly rural areas. Through a novel master streetlight attachment agreement signed with the Town of Rumford (ME), UScellular has completed its deployment of the Ericsson Street Radio 4402, a small cell platform created in collaboration with Ubicquia. This approach leverages existing streetlight infrastructure to enhance 4G and 5G connectivity at a fraction of the cost and time of traditional small cell solutions.

Brightspeed has been awarded more than $213 million in local, state, and federal grants to deploy fiber broadband networks in 12 states.

Two incumbent local exchange carriers (ILECs) in Virginia—Amelia Telephone Corporation and New Castle Telephone Company—will be the property of RiverStreet Management Services LLC under an agreement signed on May 31 with TDS Telecom, current owner of the ILECs. The deal is based on a stock purchase agreement with RiverStreet.

Virginia’s recently passed law to speed broadband deployment to rural areas now has a financial component. Gov Glenn Youngkin’s (R-VA) signature on the General Assembly’s budget bill will move $50 million over two years from the general fund to the Virginia Telecommunication Initiative, or VATI. The new law, SB 713, is set to go into effect July 1.

Despite the challenges we’ve faced, we’ve emerged stronger and poised for future growth. Investing in high-speed internet is an Administration-wide priority, with a goal of connecting every American by 2030. It’s a key example of our agenda to expand our economy’s capacity to produce in order to drive growth while increasing opportunity for people and places that haven’t had enough of it.

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen visited a recently completed Comcast rural broadband project in Stafford County, Virginia, highlighting that this is a public-private project between Comcast and the county. The giant cable company is involved in public-private partnerships across its national footprint. For years cable operators such as Comcast, Charter and Cox have fought hard against municipal broadband projects, always crying that it’s wrong for taxpayer dollars to compete against their private investments.

Breezeline has begun to activate fiber internet in previously unserved areas of King William County, Virginia. The 132-mile fiber expansion will make fiber available to over 1,500 homes and businesses by August 2025. The initiative will enable homes and businesses in King William County to access Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) technology with Gigabit-speed internet for the very first time.