Orange County's FiberLync closes in on 93% coverage rate (2024)

Orange County’s FiberLync is continuing to connect rural residents to high-speed broadband internet, boosted with the latest $2.1 million grant from the Virginia Telecommunications Initiative, part of the state Department of Housing and Community Development.

Headquartered in the town of Orange, FiberLync is a fiber optic internet service provider established in 2016 by the Orange County Broadband Authority to address a lack of reliable high-speed internet access.

Before FiberLync, over 40% of Orange County residents had no access to any commercial high-speed internet provider, according to the county.

As of late July, more than 93% of all Orange County addresses will soon have access through FiberLync or another provider, with speeds of up to one gigabit per second, according to the county.

In a July statement, FiberLync announced construction was underway on Rapidan Road in Orange County, part of the Virginia Telecommunications Initiative 2023 Project.

Continued funding through the initiative “will allow us to continue to bridge the digital divide by reaching residents in some of the most difficult-to-connect locations,” Orange County said in a statement.

The Orange County Broadband Authority is committed to expanding access to reliable, affordable high-speed internet, said Chairman R. Mark Johnson.

“The receipt of this VATI grant will allow us to connect even more addresses to a service that is increasingly important for both business and everyday life,” he said in a statement.

Orange County residents interested in receiving FiberLync should call (540) 360-0585 or visit join.fiberlync.net, to check current availability at their address.

Gov. Glenn Youngkin on July 24 announced more than $41 million in Virginia Telecommunications Initiative grants for a total of 10 broadband construction projects serving 20 localities throughout Virginia, including Orange, Madison, Greene, Louisa and Spotsylvania counties, among others.

“Virginia continues to be a national leader for closing the digital divide, and today’s announcement brings us one step closer to becoming the first state in the nation to reach statewide universal broadband coverage,” Youngkin said in a statement announcing the deal. “In our increasingly digital world, having access to high-speed broadband isn’t a luxury; it’s a prerequisite to participate in daily life.”

The Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission Firefly Virginia Telecommunications Initiative 2024 project received $12.2 million as part of the recent award. The goal of the project is to bring broadband at gigabit speeds to an additional 5,825 locations in 10 counties including Amherst, Appomattox, Buckingham, Campbell, Fluvanna, Goochland, Greene, Louisa, Madison and Powhatan.

The Spotsylvania County request for universal coverage, in addition, received $10.3 million in the recent grant awards.

This year’s funding leveraged more than $75.7 million additional funding from local governments and internet service providers. Projects were selected through a competitive process evaluating need and benefit for the community, applicant readiness and capacity, and cost, according to the governor’s office.

“Broadband is as critical today as electricity was in the last century, and the Youngkin Administration is committed to ensuring that no communities are at risk of being left behind,” Bryan Horn, chief broadband adviser and development director at the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development, said in a statement. “Once we achieve universal broadband, we will be able to focus our efforts and funding on promoting digital literacy and affordability in regard to access.”

In this last application round, the department received 25 applications requesting more than $170 million in Virginia Telecommunications Initiative funding. Since 2017, Virginia has invested more than $850.3 million to connect more than 388,000 homes, businesses and community anchors within 80 localities, according to the governor’s office.

Culpeper County back in 2021 received an $8.6 million Virginia Telecommunications Initiative grant for its fiber to home project with All Points Broadband and local utility providers.

Residents, however, are still waiting for the first connection to be made in Culpeper of 4,300 addresses included in the grant. The last update in May from All Points was rural residents would start receiving service in February 2025.

Virginia Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine, both Democrats, recently lauded the federal deployment of $1.48 billion to expand access to high-speed internet in Virginia as part of legislation they supported, according to a joint statement.

“Virginia has a strong plan to get us closer to universal coverage, and this funding will help make that plan a reality,” Warner said.

Kaine added, “Broadband is a necessity for Virginians to access telehealth, online education programs, job opportunities, and so much more. Boosting access to broadband is key to building on our economic progress.”