Shentel, state officials mark completion of Shenandoah County broadband expansion

Shentel representatives and county staff told the Shenandoah County Board of Supervisors that a multi‑year broadband expansion funded by state grants and private investment has reached closeout and exceeded its contracted household target.

Brian (Shentel) said the two state grant cycles (FY22 and FY23), combined with Shentel investment and the county contribution, produced more than $47 million on paper and delivered service to 7,177 formerly unserved homes and businesses; he said crews were finishing another roughly 80 hookups and the project was on pace to reach about 7,257 locations, or roughly 110% of the contract. "On paper, totaling more than $47,000,000 ... the county's share in that was 3,700,000.0," he said, and added the company provided the balance of the construction investment.

"We got to the finish line," Brian said, describing the technical and permitting challenges encountered statewide and the role of the Virginia Make‑Ready initiative in keeping costs manageable. He said the work included new fiber plant, eight new fiber node cabinets and roughly 610 additional miles of plant or segments (as described to the board). Shentel also said it upgraded existing cable plant and planned future investment cycles to further increase speeds and services.

Chandler Vaughn, associate director of the Virginia Broadband Office, praised the county and Shentel for completing a large rural build and stressed the human benefits of connectivity. "We can't forget the human impact of these investments," Vaughn told the board, noting potential gains for telehealth, education and farm operations. He said the overall investment in the county represents a leverage point for future economic growth and regional connectivity.

County staff and board members highlighted partnership, staff project management and the use of federal American Rescue Plan Act funds at the state and local levels. County leaders emphasized the project’s role in expanding telehealth access, supporting remote education and enabling business opportunities in more rural parts of the county.

The presentation included questions from supervisors about technology mix; Shentel said most of the build was fiber, with a handful of cable runs where short cable segments were more practical to meet funding deadlines. Shentel and county staff told the board the grants included caps: county liability capped at $3.7 million, state awards around $17.1 million, with the remainder from Shentel. The board received the update during a special presentation and members congratulated staff and the company before moving on to the evening’s agenda.