Vermont broadband board: fiber rollout nearing statewide coverage, promises economic and health benefits

The House Commerce and Economic Development Committee heard Feb. 13 that Vermont’s statewide fiber broadband rollout has accelerated and that broadband leaders expect large social and economic returns — but that costs, workforce needs and federal funding timelines remain material constraints.

Christine Hoquist, executive director of the Vermont Community Broadband Board, told the committee the state has moved from roughly 25% fiber availability when the board launched in 2021 to about 60% of addresses with fiber service today, and she said the board expects near‑universal service as federal and state projects proceed. "When we started 2 when this office started 02/2021, there was about 25% of Ramon had access to fiber optic Internet, now 60%," Hoquist said in the hearing.

Hoquist described multiple public benefits from ubiquitous fiber: expanded remote‑work and economic development opportunities; telehealth and remote monitoring that can reduce emergency visits; precision agriculture that can cut nutrient application and reduce runoff; modernized wastewater monitoring; and workforce opportunities in construction and…