Update on All Points Project - January 2025 

At the regular Board of Supervisors meeting in December 2024, All Points gave an update to the project. Review the presentation in the meeting packet and watch that segment from the meeting video.

• The preconstruction milestone has been achieved and the first remittance was paid in March 2024. 
• Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) allowed providers to rescope VATI 2022 projects.  rojects can be rescoped to pull out difficult locations, which makes those locations eligible for Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) funding.  
• Based on higher than anticipated costs for utility make-ready and other factors, All Points Broadband (APB) identified locations in the region that were rescoped to be BEAD-eligible. APB wants to follow through on what they promised and has an agreement with the Northern Shenandoah Valley Regional Commission that if APB’s BEAD application and the rescoped locations are not awarded through the BEAD program, APB agrees that it will continue to make service available to the locations at APB’s cost. The rescope will not require any additional county matching funds and the VATI 2022 grant in place will remain at the current amount.
• APB continues to work through the VDOT permitting process. 
• APB is working with their upstream Internet provider to get the circuit activated.
• APB will begin last mile construction in Augusta pending pole attachment and VDOT approvals. 
• APB conducted a site visit and presented at the Board meeting in December 2024. 
• Dominion middle mile fiber construction continues in Augusta.  

All Points Broadband Project 

Augusta County is pleased to be a partner of and recipient on the All Points Broadband project. It means that the vast majority of our residents will have broadband access in the coming years and we are glad to be an advocate for that important mission.

Questions about connectivity must be directed to All Points and the providers because they are the ones that will do the work. This page will update, in general terms, the information that providers give us.

• The phase where connectivity is brought to individual homes, or last-mile construction, will begin in 2025 and continue through 2026.

• Residents will be notified approximately 60-90 days before service will become available at their address.  All service levels are eligible for the federal Affordable Connectivity Program discount. The variable component (what some ISPs refer to as a long drop fee) of a standard installation will be waived for the first 12 months following serviceability to a location. 

• Residents should visit allpointsbroadband.com/fiber to confirm inclusion in the project and preregister for notifications (click the green 'Get Started' button). Preregistration is not required to participate in the grant-funded project.

• All Points Broadband gave an update at the Board of Supervisors meeting on January 10, 2024. Review the presentation here.

Make-ready construction began in spring 2023. This phase of the project focused on low level design and the pole attachment make-ready process. In order to mitigate risk, a significant queue of designed and permitted fiber miles will be generated prior to fiber construction.

• The Shenandoah Valley regional project, the largest broadband project in Virginia history, is now under contract and the project timeline has begun.  Virginia’s Department of Housing & Community Development awarded the Virginia Telecommunications Initiative grant of $96,873,500 through the Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund within the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.  Augusta County is one of eight counties in the project area.  Augusta’s project consists of over 6,000 serviceable units to be passed and over 700 miles of fiber (including utility middle mile).

• The project benefits from substantial collaboration and partnership between All Points Broadband and electric utility providers Shenandoah Valley Electric Cooperative, Rappahannock Electric Cooperative and Dominion Energy Virginia in accordance with their respective regulations.  The first phase of the project will be focused on Low Level Design and the pole attachment make-ready process.  Several months’ worth of designed and permitted fiber miles will need to be released from Low Level Design prior to fiber construction commencing.

On December 13, 2021, the Northern Shenandoah Valley Regional Commission and All Points Broadband were awarded $95,303,000 in federal and state grants to build fiber broadband to 37,357 unserved locations in Augusta, Clarke, Fauquier, Frederick, Page, Rappahannock, Rockingham, and Warren Counties as part of the Virginia Telecommunication Initiative (VATI) program. 

Augusta County's part of the project will include 650 miles of fiber infrastructure to all remaining unserved areas. The overall project cost will require approximately $63 million in funding: 

• All Points Broadband would secure $36 million (58%)
• VATI would provide $20.7 million (29%)
• County contribution would be $8.4 million (13%) – dedicated from American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds

A more detailed construction timeframe will be made available early next year. Residents and businesses who want to learn more about the project, sign up for updates, or pre-register their locations for service should visit https://allpointsbroadband.com/fiber/.

On August 25, 2021, the Board of Supervisors received an update on the outcome of Phase I of the MOU.  A copy of the presentation can be found here.  The Board approved to continue into Phase II of the MOU and participate in a 2022 VATI grant application for the regional project, allocating American Rescue Plan funds as local match.  The grant application is due September 14, 2021.

In June 2021, the County issued an RFI and received 6 proposals from partners on the VATI2022 grant (that is due September 14). Notices of Application were filed for each provider on July 27, 2021 as required by the grant guidelines.  Proposals were received from All Points Broadband, Lingo Networks, Lumos, New Hope Telephone Cooperative, Shentel and Zitel.  Projects varied in size from 100+ passings to universal coverage. 

The All Points Broadband proposal is a partnership with Dominion Energy and Shenandoah Valley Electric Cooperative. This partnership involves the Commonwealth’s Utility Leverage Program for broadband, which allows Virginia’s investor-owned utilities to partner with localities and internet service providers to use utility-owned fiber for network expansion in unserved areas of the Commonwealth. 

In order to move forward, the County entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between All Points Broadband, Dominion Energy and Shenandoah Valley Electric to participate in the regional project and funding applications.  The MOU has three phases, the first of which is summarized here and is the only one to consider at this time:

• All Points Broadband will perform a last-mile feasibility study and a preliminary financial analysis and present the results to each Participating Locality.
• They will identify grants and other sources of funding to reduce or eliminate each Participating Locality’s out of pocket costs to proceed.
• Each Participating Locality will decide whether or not to continue to Phase II.  Localities that elect to withdraw from the project at the conclusion of Phase I will have no further obligations under the MOU.
• The Parties anticipate that Phase I will continue until approximately August 15, 2021. 

Once a party to the MOU, work with other providers would need to cease until the Board decides if they continue to Phase II or not. 

Several localities in the northern part of the valley are participating in the MOU to date. 

In summary, it is a large regional project with additional funding sources and will result in efforts to move towards universal coverage.  Substantial funding is available for broadband expansion at this time providing a unique opportunity to get broadband to citizens. 

The Board approved being party to the MOU to be part of Phase I on July 28, 2021.  A copy of the MOU is here.

2021 VATI Grant

As of January 2025, VATI2021 is complete with initial closeout paperwork submitted to the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD). DHCH conducted a successful Final Financial Review whereby MGW and the County had to provide financial records on the project. Subscriber counts are to be reported to DHCD in February and August to finalize the closeout of the project.

Final project summaries for the VATI2021 project with MGW/Lingo – Direct questions to the MGW and Lingo website:

                MGW - https://www.mgwtelephone.com/fiber-1

                Lingo - https://lingo-networks.com/fiberprojects

Overview: 

Augusta County partnered with Highland County on a regional VATI grant project with MGW as the provider.  Service is comprised of fiber-to-the-home projects in the Middlebrook, Morris Mill and Deerfield Areas of Augusta County and the McDowell Area of Highland County. The County was awarded a grant for $1,270,413 for these projects. 

A broadband survey, launched between July 1–18, 2021, was designed to help county staff and the Broadband Committee understand and quantify residents’ concerns and priorities related to internet access in Augusta County. More than 1600 citizens participated and updated a database of addresses that helps the county guide providers to areas that lack service. The feedback is also instrumental in developing projects for requesting federal and state grant funding. 

The results of the survey offer these main conclusions:

• Residents identified internet access as an indispensable part of their everyday lives — especially for communication, education, and entertainment.  

• Although the overwhelming majority of respondents have access to some form of internet, most complained of low speeds and poor service, and many relied on slower forms of connection — including cellular service, satellite-based internet, and dial-up phone lines. 

• Most respondents see limited access to the internet as a result of their geographic location in the County. 

• Inequitable access to reliable and affordable internet service results in cost and logistical barriers. Concerns about prohibitive costs, especially in more rural areas, surfaced frequently.  

See the full report of the survey results here. 

In November 2020, Augusta County received three grants totaling $900,441 for broadband funding from the Commonwealth of Virginia as part of the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act). Increased broadband connectivity will  improve distance learning, telework, and telehealth capabilities in response to COVID-19 for underserved areas identified in Augusta County’s 2016 Broadband Telecommunications Strategic Plan.  

Submitted applications for CARES grants:

Swoope Tower Fixed Wireless - $214,929 from CARES funding

New Hope Telephone Cooperative - $352,132 from CARES funding

Lingo Networks Fiber Project - $333,378 from CARES funding

2020 VATI Grant  - not awarded

An application was submitted for FTTH "fiber to the home" projects in the Deerfield and Middlebrook areas. This application was not awarded. 

Augusta County is a member of the Central Shenandoah Planning District Commission which is a designated Economic Development District (EDD) under a program administered by the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration. As an EDD, the CSPDC prepares a Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) through an intensive planning process.

The 2018 CEDS establishes regional economic development goals to guide the region in achieving its vision. One vision of the plan is to address critical infrastructure updates and anticipate future community needs to improve the Central Shenandoah Region’s competitiveness to attract and retain business (Vision II).

The first goal under this vision is to expand and improve the region’s technology and telecommunications systems. Specific objectives are:

1. Develop stronger, reliable broadband coverage through innovative partnerships between localities and telecommunications companies, specifically focusing on rural areas;
2. Expand and advance cell service availability throughout the region to attract businesses and residents; and
3. Utilize state and federal broadband funds to implement telecommunication projects. 

2019 Broadband Survey Summary Report

2019 Broadband Survey Map

Two applications were submitted for FTTH "fiber to the home" projects in the Deerfield and Middlebrook areas. The applications were not awarded but valid and pertinent feedback from the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) will help future efforts.

The Broadband Committee was established to identify, promote, facilitate and accelerate improvements to broadband infrastructure in Augusta County (see the committee's mission statement). 

Members of the Committee are appointed by the Board of Supervisors, one representative per district for a 4 year term.

An application for a tower in the Parnassus area along with fiber being laid on Routes 252 and 254  was submitted for a Virginia Telecommunication Initiative (VATI) grant but not awarded. 

The tower would have improved the speed of connection in a three mile radius for 739 residences and 8 businesses. The tower placement was based on the analysis from two studies.

The Route 252 fiber project would have developed 5.3 miles of fiber, establishing 110 FTTH (fiber to the home) connections.  

The Route 254 fiber project would have developed 3.2 miles of fiber for 75 FTTH connections. 

Augusta County received a Virginia Telecommunications Initiative (VATI) grant, one of five awards made statewide. The grant funded 80% of the project, which was in the Arbor Hill area and included:

• installation of approximately 36,500 feet of fiber optic cable
• construction of a tower to facilitate improved broadband coverage

Total project costs              $398,880
Grant Award                         $278,880
Match:  County                      $60,000
Natch:  Provider                    $60,000

DHCD Contract - agreement between the County and DHCD that project will be completed and funds transferred
MOU with Lingo - agreement between the County and Lingo that details responsibilities of each party
Contribution agreement with Economic Development Authority - agreement between the County and EDA for pass through of funding
Land lease between provider and landowner - lease between Lingo and landowner for land for tower

In 2016, Augusta County completed a Community Broadband Telecommunications Strategic Plan in consultation with Consulting Gateway Corporation (CGC) and Dewberry through the award of a Virginia Telecommunications Planning Initiative Grant. The plan outlined “Last Mile Connectivity Solutions” for County management to consider. Several options were outlined, including Network Extension Funding Public Private Partnership, which has thus far been pursued through the application for Virginia Telecommunications Initiatives Grants offered by the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development in 2017-2020.

2016 Strategic Plan

• Streamlines goals
• Defines County’s role
• Identifies future grant opportunities
• Identifies areas in need for  future deployment
• Identifies telecommunications partners
• Assists with planning for growth in County

In the fall of 2011, The Atlantic Group was contracted to assist the county in developing a Wireless Facilities Analysis with respect to the development of towers in areas of poor or no service. The consultant identified gaps in 3-G services and evaluated the geographic areas of the County. The report concluded that for Augusta County to be able to service current poorly served areas and anticipate future 4-G services, the county should create a strategic plan to help address these needs. The consultant also identified twenty-one (21) rural areas where new tower development was needed. 

From this analysis, in two of the 21 areas, towers were constructed in 2014 (Deerfield - a public safety narrow-banding project) and 2018 (Arbor Hill - Virginia Telecommunications Initiative (VATI) 2017 project). 

The Committee established by-laws that include: 

Mission

• Identify, promote, facilitate and accelerate improvements to broadband infrastructure in Augusta County
• Collect and maintain comprehensive information on the state of broadband in households, businesses, schools and public gathering areas in Augusta County
• Analyze internal data to identify areas negatively impacted by lack of availability and quality of broadband services in Augusta County to identify areas for improvement
• Report to stakeholders on the current status and improvements to broadband services in Augusta County
• Facilitate and accelerate improvements by identifying and pursuing public and private funding opportunities to improve infrastructure through partnerships with private broadband providers through the most efficient process possible

Committee Details

• Appointed by Board of Supervisors, one per district
• 4 year term
• Meets quarterly 7 pm (Government Center in Verona) Check the county calendar for upcoming meetings. 
• Sub-Committees:
  • Information Management & Analysis - gather and analyze data
  • Marketing & Outreach - administer surveys and educate stakeholders
  • Operations - write and submit grants

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