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Patrick County supervisors approve letter supporting Zytel broadband BEAD application
Summary
The Patrick County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to approve a letter of support for Zytelapplication after a presentation from the company's chief operating officer.
Rodney Gray, chief operating officer of Zytel, a locally owned fiber-to-the-home internet provider, asked the Patrick County Board of Supervisors on Feb. 1 to approve a letter of support for the company's BEAD/other broadband grant application and outlined Zytel's planned build and pricing for county residents.
Gray told supervisors Zytel already has more than 875 miles of fiber and "well over 15,000 passings," and that the company has exceeded 3,000 subscribers statewide. He said Zytel built 414 miles under a Virginia Telecommunications Initiative (VADI) 2022 grant and closed out that project with the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development in 18 months.
The presentation described Zytel's planned route through northern Patrick County from Franklin County, down the county's western edge toward Carroll County, and emphasized a deployment method that buries about 70'80% of its fiber. Gray also described Zytel's pricing and support plans, including a month-to-month structure, a low-income offer at $29.99 (which Zytel will make free for qualifying customers with documentation of government assistance), business services, and a promise of up to 1,000 feet of free drop from a hard-surface road to a driveway with additional footage charged at cost.
Supervisors asked about technical details, permitting and easements, and whether Zytel would place new boxes or use existing infrastructure. Gray said the company generally installs its own handholes and pedestals and uses trenchless techniques and directional drilling when necessary. He pointed to the Broadband Act of 2019 and said CLEC status helps streamline permitting with VDOT for work in rights-of-way.
After the presentation, a motion to approve a letter of support for Zytel's grant application was made and seconded. The board voted unanimously: "Mister Overby? Aye. Mister Perry? Aye. Mister Marshall? Aye. Mister Kendrick? Aye." The chair recorded an aye vote as well.
The letter is intended to accompany Zytel's application due March 1. The board did not adopt any binding contract or funding commitment; the vote recorded only approval of the requested letter of support.
Zytel's presentation and the board vote were recorded during the public-business portion of the Feb. 1 meeting.
