Caroline County broadband buildout speeds up as new service areas open

David Stadler, Caroline County director of information technology, told the Board of Supervisors the county’s broadband construction under the Virginia Telecommunication Initiative (VADI) is in its final year and several new service areas are opening to customers.

"Being that we have about another year left in the VADI grant construction phase, I felt it only, fitting that we come here tonight and give you an update on where we stand in those projects," Stadler said.

Stadler said that by Oct. 1 the county, the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD), Breezeline and Verizon expect to have expanded service to 1,798 locations that were previously unserved. He said the longer-term goal is to make broadband available to 4,823 previously unserved locations by the end of next year.

The update listed specific carrier footprints: Comcast/Xfinity in parts of western Caroline (areas such as Ladysmith, Carmel Church, Lake Caroline and Pendleton), Verizon Fios where the VADI 2023 West project is complete, and existing Breezeline service areas shown on county maps. Stadler said several GCR-designated areas (GCR 04 and GCR 05) are now open for sale; additional GCR zones are projected to open by Oct. 1 and Dec. 1, with construction continuing into the first months of next year.

Stadler flagged two remaining construction risks: CSX railroad crossing work (three of four complete, one with remediation underway) and pole-attachment/power-supply delays with Rappahannock Electric Cooperative that could affect northern segments. He said project managers were monitoring those issues and do not expect a contract extension at this time but would seek one if delays materialize.

Residents in newly opened Breezeline areas were given a direct sales contact — Reggie Spivey, Breezeline sales, (410) 490-6082 — and were advised that calling the direct number may produce flash sale offers not available through the general 1-888 line.

Board members asked for clarifications about areas that some residents felt had been left out (for example, parts of Charlesburg and Partlow roads). Stadler said preliminary federal BEAD awards have identified missed pockets and those cases are now at NTIA for approval; if approved, a provider has been identified to bring fiber to those pockets. He cautioned that FCC/provider maps driving BEAD/BEAD-like awards can misclassify some commercial properties as unserved residences, so staff manually verified specific roads mentioned by supervisors.

Stadler urged residents to use the county broadband page and the large orange "Submit your question" button so staff can respond with an ETA for their address. He said the county will post rapid updates on the county website and YouTube channel as areas become available and that the next regular broadband update to the board is scheduled for Oct. 20.

The board and staff thanked the broadband advisory committee, DHCD and the carriers for their work and reiterated an offer to help communicate openings to residents at community events and supervisor meetings.

Ending

Stadler closed by noting the county had completed an on-site visit with DHCD and Breezeline and described the next weeks as a period of rapid change as multiple service areas open for sale. He asked residents to monitor the county website for near-real-time updates.