Lovingston
Nelson County, Virginia
Progress continues on Nelson getting a fiber optic backbone in place for the county to provide the next generation of ultra high speed internet to much of the county. Nelson’s Broadband Advisory Committee held its first meeting Wednesday afternoon in Lovingston. The purpose of the committee is to study and advise on the implementation of what’s called The Middle Mile Network or the fiber infrastructure that will be the hub of service to a large part of the county from Afton to Colleen. The committee was formed on the heels of months and months of study by the Nelson County Broadband Management Authority.
ICON Broadband Technologies out of Georgia has been selected as the consulting group put in place to guide the committee and management team as the $1.8 million project is implemented. Nelson was granted the money under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 to build out a high speed modern network to provide internet to most of the county, in particular areas that don’t have any or limited choices.
Once built, other Internet Service Providers will attach to the fiber backbone and then redistribute the internet service to the end users in homes and businesses. Much of the project is underway now, with a requirement that it be totally completed no later than roughly 2 and 1/2 years from this month.
Fiber optic networks can provide all sorts of new technology advances, much faster than standard DSL and cable modem service.
I am of two minds about this. nTelos and AT&T already have fiber running all the way through Nelson on Rt 29. Why isn’t it being used as much as it could be. It has been in place for YEARS, Extending up Rt 6 to 151 to reach the Afton / Nellysford and Wintergreen is great for that side of the county, but I won’t be holding my breath for who the “other ISPs” are going to be, Wild Blue if you live past Shipman or towards on that side of the county?
http://www.ntia.doc.gov/broadbandgrants/applications/summaries/891.pdf Paul – please read this link for info. on all your concerns.
Thanks for the link. As a person who lives in a part of Nelson that has nothing other than dial-up or satellite, I am not holding my breath. It isn’t the middle tier that is the concern, as with the exception of 6 and 151, fiber has already been along Rt 29 for years. Radio links are possible in some areas, but the mountainous conditions make that difficult and the higher frequencies don’t do well over the mountains. The population in the area probably won’t entice very many end-run ISPs, in my opinion.
Glad to see the County is finally getting organized and is ready to research alternatives to remedy this county’s inability to jump into the 21st century. This Braodband Advisory Committee is a great start to evaluate how “EVERY” person in the county, even in my Northwest mountainous region, should easily attain braodband service. We really need to also concentrate on the “last mile” connectivity even if more towers are needed past Massies Mill.