Caroline County broadband project reports progress but faces small delays

David Sadler, director of information technology for Caroline County and project manager for VADI 2023, told a county broadband update on Aug. 18, 2025, that the county’s VADI 2023 projects have opened addresses for sale and shown substantial fiber construction but that one phase is at risk of falling slightly behind schedule.

The update matters because the projects change which residents and businesses can sign up for high-speed service: some areas are newly open for sale, others remain served by incumbent providers and therefore ineligible for VADI subsidy. “If you live in an area that was already serviced by a provider, then that made you ineligible for VADI grant funding,” Sadler said, describing a state policy that bars subsidizing competition in already-served areas.

Sadler said the first addresses opened for sale in June 2024 and that 100% of those addresses are now open for sale, with more than 350 customers signed up for service as of March. He reported that 89.95 miles of fiber have been reported as constructed to the state, while adding that the actual number is likely higher because the state figures reflect miles billed by subcontractors and there is a reporting lag.

Coverage varies by provider and location. Sadler said areas around Ladysmith, Carmel Church, Ladysmith Village, Lake Landor, Pendleton, Lake Caroline, Belmont and Caroline Pines are served by Comcast (Xfinity); residents in those areas can sign up at www.xfinity.com or by calling 877-338-9791. He said portions of western Caroline shown on the county map are served by Verizon’s VADl project; the first Verizon addresses opened for sale in June 2024 and, according to Sadler, all those addresses are now open for sale and had more than 350 customers signed up as of March (Verizon customers can visit verizon.com/fios or call 888-548-5833). Areas east of U.S. 301 (East of 95 on the county map) around Bowling Green, Port Royal, Baldy and Panola are served by Breezeline; customers can visit breezeline.com or call 888-536-9600.

Sadler cautioned that the Caroline East phase (areas east of U.S. 301) is “at risk of falling slightly behind schedule” because Rappahannock Electric Cooperative and the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) are taking longer than expected to complete required tasks. He said initial project design for Caroline East was completed earlier but required redesign work to avoid high pole-attachment costs; that redesign is “mostly completed” and construction continues at a high rate.

On crossings and other infrastructure, Sadler said three of four required CSX railroad crossings for the project have been completed; the overall crossing process has taken more than three years. He said no extension to the project is necessary at this time but that the county is monitoring potential delays tied to pole attachments, power activations and the final railroad crossing.

Sadler also explained how the state policy affecting subsidized competition drives who qualified for VADI funding: areas that already had service before the project were ineligible for VADI subsidy and therefore did not receive a second, subsidized provider. He directed residents with questions to the county broadband page at www.co.caroline.va.us and the project’s “Submit Your Questions” button; he said recurring questions from residents will be addressed in monthly reports. The next broadband update meeting was announced for Monday, Sept. 15, at 7 p.m., streamed on the county’s YouTube channel.

Sadler gave contact and signup information repeatedly during the update and said that large numbers of addresses in parts of the project east of U.S. 301 were nearing the point of being opened for sale; if those drops happen between meetings the county will issue a special report on the channel.

The update contained no formal votes or policy actions; Sadler described progress, timelines and dependencies and fielded procedural clarifications about eligibility for VADI funding.