BROADBAND

In Franklin County, 83.1% of people have broadband access, and the Board of Supervisors is working closely with partners to continue growing broadband access throughout the county.

He sat down with first responders, health care workers, teachers and economic developers to talk about launching broadband.

A big development for broadband expansion was announced Monday. Governor Ralph Northam says over $722 million worth of grants will be given to areas in Virginia to work towards universal coverage.

Broadband will soon be more accessible for nearly 12,000 residents in Pittsylvania County thanks to a multimillion dollar project approved at Tuesday’s Board of Supervisors meeting.

One important lesson which has been learned over the past months when it comes to education, is that without high-speed broadband, many children in rural America have once again been left behind. Imagine for a moment, that because of COVID-19, your child lives in rural America, in a community where internet is either non-existent, or where if it exists, it is so intermittent that streaming the classroom into the home is what can best be described as impossible. And then, imagine the possibilities for those children, and others, if high-speed broadband was available for everyone.

Senator Mark Warner is advocating for broadband expansion in the commonwealth.

PITTSYLVANIA COUNTY, Va. – By 2024, 90% of people living in Pittsylvania County will have internet access. That’s the big goal the county’s board of supervisors set a few years ago, and now a partnership with a North Carolina internet provider may just help achieve that. With five towers already in the county, River Street Networks is installing 13 new towers in the northeast area of the county to provide service to about 9,000 businesses and homes. “If River Street was to build a wired network right now to every resident that would take years and years and tens and tens of millions of dollars,” Pittsylvania County Public Relations Manager Caleb Ayers said. Starting next year, the new provider will also extend its fiber-optic network to offer signals to 20,000 businesses and homes.

MARTINSVILLE, Va. – Sen. Mark Warner made a stop in Southside Virginia with Election Day right around the corner. The educators at Warner’s event included Martinsville City Schools Superintendent Dr. Zebedee Talley and Henry County Public Schools Superintendent Sandy Strayer. Many of the educators told Warner their largest issue is broadband Internet access for rural communities. Warner said he hopes to develop a bill that requires large tech companies to pay for America’s rural broadband infrastructure. “Facebook, Google, Amazon...they make money every time someone logs on the internet," Warner said.

SOUTH BOSTON, Va. Walking the halls of the Pittsylvania/Danville Health Department Thursday afternoon, Gov. Ralph Northam was pleased to see the health department is well-versed in the use of telehealth. We know its easier and its healthier for individuals to receive a lot of their care through telehealth, said Northam. Ralph Northam (right) talks with Pittsylvania-Danville Health District Director Dr. Scott Spillman after taking a look at the telehealth capabilities at the district's health department. Expanding broadband service across the commonwealth is something he hopes to be able to use what he calls some one-time spending in the states budget to continue.

FRANKLIN COUNTY, Va. With more and more families working and learning from home, Franklin County leaders signed a $4.6 million dollar deal on Tuesday to boost broadband service in the county. Phase 1 of the project will provide faster internet service to about 20,000 homes, which is more than half the county. The countys got to play a significant role in putting these puzzle pieces together for our citizens and for our businesses, said Franklin County Supervisor Lorie Smith. Over the next month or two, Blue Ridge Towers will begin construction on eight new wireless towers and additions to four existing towers. The system will provide internet speeds from 25-100 mbps.