Accomack seeking grant to extend broadband service

Accomack County Administrator Mike Mason reported at Wednesday’s Board of Supervisors meeting that his office has written a letter to the Virginia Telecommunications Initiative which provides grants to help local governments extend broadband service to currently underserved areas.  In order to participate the local government must include a private sector provider as a co-applicant.  Eligible projects must be owned and operated by the private sector  co-applicants.

Both Accomack and Northampton Counties have been in discussions with a third party about submitting a regional VATI grant application with a goal of providing broadband to areas that are currently underserved in both counties.    In order to be eligible  for an application , the counties must submit a letter of intent to the DHCD.

The letter does not obligate the county or commit the county to submit an application.  No local match is required.

DHCD will award funding to applicants to provide last-mile service, including middle-mile networks, equipment, or other investments required to deliver last-mile service to underserved areas of the Commonwealth.  Unserved areas are defined as having broadband speeds at or below 25 Megabits per second download and 3 megabits per second upload.

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