View Comments
AUGUSTA COUNTY Augusta County, partnered with internet service providers MGW and Lingo, was awarded over $1 million in grant money to further the expansion of broadband internet in the region. The expansion will provide access to over one thousand locations and 15 businesses.
The Virginia Telecommunication Initiative (VATI) awarded $50 million in grants to aid with the expansion of broadband across Virginia. Under VATI, localities partner with broadband providers to apply for matching state funding to bring broadband Internet services to underserved areas, the press release announcing the grants said.
Seven grant awards went to localities partnered with companies that are members of the Virginia Telecommunications Industry Association (VTIA), including Augusta County, which had applied partnered with internet service providers MGW and Lingo. The grant totaled $1,270,413.
The Daily Yonder Commentary: The Last Mile for Stimulus The president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, Tom Barkin, discusses four funding distribution elements standing between the Covid-19 federal aid and those who need it: awareness, capacity, simplification and alignment.
Share this:
The Capitol is seen amid reflections of the Russell Senate Office Building in Washington. The Treasury Department said on April 14, 2021, it has created a new office to supervise the disbursement of the billions of dollars in relief money passed by Congress to combat the coronavirus-related recession. Officials said the goal is to streamline the process and ensure that all eligible groups have access to the aid. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)
Andria McClellan and Jack Kennedy
More than a year into this pandemic, it still feels like we are adjusting to a new normal. Many of us have set up new areas to work from home, created new routines for ourselves and our children, and found new ways to stay connected with friends, family and health care. For ourselves and many others, having reliable internet access is a core aspect of this new normal.
Virginians are struggling with unreliable access, and some have been forced to deal with a rise in unnecessary charges and data caps. In 2020, Commonwealth Connect reported that approximately 660,000 rural Virginians lack broadband internet. That number is believed to be even greater when factoring in those who lack access due to affordability around the commonwealth.