CVFiber is a nonprofit municipal entity governed by volunteer delegates who are appointed by our 20-member Central Vermont towns. Our aim is to provide access to fast, dependable, and affordable Internet service, with the first priorities being those who are unserved or underserved.
CVFiber will provide homes with speeds ranging from 100 Mbps to 2 Gigs, and businesses with speeds ranging from 1 Gig to 10 Gigs. Speeds will always be symmetrical, for example, 100 Mbps download and 100 Mbps upload, for the best interactive experience for education, telemedicine, conference calls, business, gaming, and more. Providing rural Vermont with this level of service will enhance education, enable our workforce, create opportunities, and support the State’s economy.
The 1,200-mile CVFiber community broadband network will cost an estimated $60 million and take approximately three years to construct, provided funding, material, and labor are available. It is anticipated that Federal grants will fund 50% to 60% of the construction with the remainder funded through debt financing. CVFiber cannot receive town tax dollars and will support its ongoing operations with subscription revenues. Initial construction started in December 2022. CVFiber plans to construct up to 550 miles of its community broadband network in 2023.
To keep costs to subscribers down, 13 member towns have allocated $833,000 of town American Rescue Plan Act funds to CVFiber. These funds are matched dollar-for-dollar by the Vermont Community Broadband Board (VCBB) for a total contribution of $1.67 million. Town allocations are used within the town and directly benefit residents. The VCBB is extending the dollar-for-dollar match through May 2023, providing each of our member towns the opportunity to allocate up to $100,000 for a total contribution of $200,000. Please contact me for more information ([email protected]). Thank you for your support.
By providing symmetrical high-speed broadband access, CVFiber and the other Vermont Communication Union Districts are closing the rural digital divide by providing future generations with capabilities that we cannot imagine. The education and work opportunities made available by symmetrical high-speed broadband access will be as transformational to rural Vermont today as electrification was in the mid-twentieth century.
Connectivity is only the beginning. Please visit us at cvfiber.net.
Jerry Diamantides
Chair, CVFiber Governing Board
Download CVFiber 2022 Report to Member Towns