Northern Neck broadband project nears completion after multi‑partner buildout

The Westmoreland County Board of Supervisors heard a detailed update on a regional broadband build Thursday showing the multi‑partner project is largely built and moving toward service activation in remaining pockets.

The presentation, led by regional project partners, described roughly 1,400–1,600 miles of new fiber laid across the Northern Neck, a Dominion Energy “middle‑mile” backbone of about 85 miles completed in April 2024, and about 1,400 customer locations in Westmoreland County that can be connected. Presenters said roughly 20% of those Westmoreland locations have already signed up for service.

Why it matters: County officials said the investment — described by presenters as about $120 million across partners and funding sources — is intended to deliver fiber‑to‑the‑home speeds to areas that private providers previously considered uneconomical to serve. Broadband access is cited as critical for telework, telemedicine, education and economic development.

Project partners and funding

Speakers told the board the effort combined private investment with federal and state grants and local contributions. Dominion Energy provided middle‑mile fiber and pole access; All Points Broadband was named as the private internet service provider partner; Northern Neck Electric Cooperative assisted with pole attachments and warehousing. The project also used state funding through the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development programs and federal programs referenced in the presentation (including RDOF and the federal broadband initiatives commonly referred to in panel discussion as BEAD/BEED). Presenters additionally cited a World Digital Opportunity Fund grant previously awarded to the region.

Service availability and next steps

All Points Broadband staff told the board that residents can check service at apbfiber.com and sign up if their address is included; the project team encouraged residents to register even if their address initially returns a message that service is not yet available. Presenters explained some mapping mismatches can arise from address formatting differences or from older federal data that treated whole census blocks as “served” if a single premise had service. Those mismatches are one of the issues federal BEAD funding is intended to address.

Speakers said most homes in the region will be served when the build-out is complete, but that a separate federal/state funding round (the BEAD process described in the briefing) will be used to close remaining one‑off gaps and to fund later phases for new or previously missed locations.

Costs to connect

Presenters said the grant structure covers a portion of the cost to bring fiber to homes. For locations with long driveways, the project currently waives part of a per‑foot drop fee (waive up to 1,000 feet in the grant period) and charges a nominal per‑foot fee beyond that (presenters described a sample $2/foot after the covered distance during the grant phase). The team urged residents with long drops to sign up early to lock in grant‑assisted terms; they also cautioned customers to check existing contracts (satellite or mobile services) before cancelling to avoid early‑termination charges.

Public mapping and reporting

Project staff recommended residents use the FCC National Broadband Map (broadbandmap.fcc.gov) or the provider website to confirm whether their address is correctly mapped. They asked residents who find errors to report them so the mapping can be corrected — a necessary step to be considered in future funding rounds.

What’s next: Presenters said the project is entering a close‑out and outreach phase and that the county and provider will continue to apply for BEAD and state funds to reach remaining unserved locations. The board did not take formal action on the update; members thanked partners and asked staff to post guidance for residents on the county web site.

Sources: Remarks to the board by Jerry Davis and representatives of Dominion Energy and All Points Broadband during the board meeting.