Virginia Telecommunications Initiative provides funding to expand broadband to nearly 80% of the Eastern Shore.
June 22, 2022 (EXMORE, Va.) – The Eastern Shore of Virginia Broadband Authority (ESVBA) has been awarded an unprecedented $15.6 million grant that will allow ESVBA to continue closing the digital divide on the Eastern Shore by expanding the broadband network to reach nearly 80% of the Eastern Shore’s residents. This project was funded in collaboration with the Commonwealth of Virginia’s Telecommunication Initiative (VATI). The project will build out an additional 269 ft of fiber and connect more than 11,000 additional homes and businesses across Accomack and Northampton Counties.
A public celebration to kick off the project will be held June 29 at Sawmill Park Pavilion in Accomac from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Senator Lynwood Lewis, Delegate Robert Bloxom, and Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development Director Bryan Horn will be in attendance to talk about the grant and its impact on Virginia’s Eastern Shore. After a series of short presentations and project updates, lunch will be served.
“This grant is a tremendous opportunity to continue building reliable, affordable broadband access to the Eastern Shore,” ESVBA Executive Director Robert Bridgham said. “This milestone follows 15 years of community-led efforts to bridge the digital divide and ensure economic vitality for our region. The VATI funds will enable us to expand the network and provide broadband access to nearly 80% of the Eastern Shore. We hope everyone in the community who’s worked so hard to address this challenging issue will join us for next week’s celebration.”
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About the ESVBA
The Eastern Shore of Virginia Broadband Authority (ESVBA) is a public authority formed in 2008 by the counties of Northampton and Accomack Virginia to provide and proliferate broadband services across the Eastern Shore of Virginia. The ESVBA runs an “Open Access” network and currently serves residential, education, government, healthcare, commercial and wholesale customers across the region.
For more information, please visit: https://esvba.com/.
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