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On Wednesday, Sept. 6, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine announced $16.3 million in federal funding will be coming to Mid-Atlantic Broadband Communities Corporation, to expand broadband and high-speed internet across Virginia. This will help connect more people in Cumberland County. 

The benefit for Cumberland County is that this will help extend broadband through a number of “middle-mile” backbone routes. At times, companies don’t see it as cost-effective to lay fiber and set up the infrastructure in out of the way or “last-mile” areas. Areas in Cumberland, Dinwiddie, Greensville, Goochland, Louisa, Lunenburg, Mecklenburg, Nottoway, Prince Edward, Prince George, Sussex and the City of Petersburg all have spots like this. But the funding will cover work in these “last mile” areas. 

How does it work? Well, this grant will provide funding for a network of high-capacity fiber optic cables that are connected to internet service providers. These cables will then connect to larger data centers and internet exchange points. This “middle mile” will allow for faster and more efficient data transfers as this will connect to other fiber backbone routes that extend to Ashburn, Culpeper and Charlottesville. The goal here is to both help local residents with high-speed internet and make it easier to recruit companies. 

“My hope is that it makes us more competitive when it comes to grant funding opportunities for the county,” said Cumberland County Administrator Derek Stamey.

Cumberland County almost to 100

Since this announcement came last week, Stamey hasn’t had a chance to determine the full impact this will have on the county. However, what he does know is that this will be a benefit to all residents as it will bring the country one step closer to having full coverage.

Along with this project, Cumberland already has broadband projects bringing fiber across the county by Kinex and Firefly.  According to Stamey, adding this middle mile is expected to bring coverage to the county between 80 to 85%. 

“Anytime you can strengthen the backbone and service to residents of the community is well worth it and always a good thing,” said Stamey. “This is huge for the region and the county.”