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Countywide broadband on the way

During a September work session of the Gloucester Board of Supervisors, the board voted to fund countywide broadband coverage. The approval was a big win for the county and those who have been championing broadband for years.

Acting County Administrator Carol Steele said Gloucester got involved with providing broadband as it become more important, about a decade ago. Due to the high cost of fiber not much was done until the Virginia Telecommunications, or VATI, grant was made available.

The first VATI grant awarded to Gloucester in 2018 brought service to the Glenns area, said Steele. The most recent VATI grant awarded to Gloucester was in 2021 when Gloucester and Mathews counties applied together. The joint application increased the odds of approval but was more beneficial to Mathews while only serving 113 homes in Gloucester.

The need for grant funding stems from the lack of expansion and services from major carriers, like Cox, who won’t expand into unserved areas without i...

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