Effective August 16, 2024, NEK Broadband & CVFiber have united resources, expertise, and a shared commitment to deliver exceptional high-speed internet services to our 71 communities. Working together, we will be better able to support economic growth, community development, and digital equity across the Northeast Kingdom and Central Vermont.
Communication Union Districts (CUDs)
A Communications Union District (CUD) is an organization of two or more Vermont towns that join together as a municipal entity to build communication infrastructure (e.g., Internet Service) together. At least two towns are required to start, but there is no limit. Member towns do not need to be contiguous. Neither the taxpayer nor the town is required to pay anything in relation to a CUD, unless they choose to purchase services from the CUD at their own discretion.
For more information see Title 30: Public Service, Chapter 82: Communications Union Districts in Vermont state statutes. Other types of municipal districts include Solid Waste Districts, Consolidated Sewer Districts, Emergency Medical Service Districts, Natural Resources Conservation Districts, and Consolidated Water Districts.
Map of Current Communications Union Districts (CUDs)
Why Fiber?
Fiber-optics is the best technology in the world at delivering Internet service to homes and businesses. Fiber Internet is up to 200x faster than other technologies commonly offered at this time. Fast, reliable Internet service is a necessary utility in today’s technological world. Access to many civic functions, social services, and commercial services is impossible without it. Plus it provides many other great benefits in instant communication, education, health, entertainment, and business and work opportunities.
Entertainment
Fiber allows seamless and smooth web browsing, HD video streaming, and online gaming without worrying about your connection slowing down, even at night and on weekends when everyone is online.
Work-from-home
Speeds provided by Fiber Internet services make working from home hassle-free. No long waits to download or upload large files and support for multiple video conferencing calls at once.
Communicate
Email and chat to your heart’s content, send and receive family photos and video chat with friends and loved ones at lightning-fast speed.
Fiber optics has several advantages over traditional metal communications lines:
- Fiber optic cables have a much greater bandwidth than metal cables. This means that they can carry more data so you will not see a reduction of speed when your neighbors are all online at the same time as you.
- Fiber optic cables use digital signals (the natural form for computer data) rather than electrical, so they are not susceptible to interference from other electrical devices or radio signals.
- Fiber optic cables are much thinner and lighter than metal wires, so more fibers can be bundled into a given diameter of cable. Yet they are 4-8 times stronger, making them less likely to be damaged. This means your service is much more reliable!
- Because no electricity is passed through optical fibers, there is no fire hazard.
- Data is more secure because, unlike traditional copper wires, it is not possible to tap into a glass line without breaking it.
Fiber-optic systems have revolutionized telecommunications. Fiber is often said to be “future-proof” because the data is transmitted at the speed of light, so the rate of the connection is usually limited by the equipment rather than the fiber. This will permit substantial speed improvements by equipment upgrades long before the fiber itself must be upgraded.
History
In Vermont, some communities already have access to high speed Internet service. However, many others do not. In these communities, coverage of high speed Internet service is behind the curve by more than a decade—or in some it’s simply not available at all!
A small group of committed citizens established CVFiber (at the time “Central Vermont Internet”) in 2018 at Town Meeting Day. Since its inception this group has been working to organize and set up a governance model for decision making in order to bring about change. CVFiber was originally established as representing twelve communities, but has since grown to twenty one contiguous Central Vermont communities.
CVFiber started its build-out in 2022 and surpassed 130 miles of fiber network and 500 customers by the end of 2024. In the spring of 2024 its Governing Board entered into conversation with the Governing Board of its neighboring CUD, NEK Broadband, which culminated in the merger of the two Communications Union Districts on Aug. 16, 2024. The merged CUD, NEKCV, now covers 71 towns in the Central Valley and Northeast Kingdom of Vermont.
How CVFiber Operates
CVFiber is one of two brand names of NEKCV. NEKCV is a municipality governed by representatives from each member town. The volunteer representatives are approved through their towns and become voting members of the NEKCV Governing Board. Each member town is allotted an alternate (can be more than one) as well in the event that the other representative is not present for voting matters. NEKCV is a public entity and is therefore subject to open meeting laws per Vermont statute. NEKCV also has an Executive Committee and a Finance & Audit Committee tasked with specific important areas of governance. See our Governance page for more information about our structure, as well as our meeting agendas and minutes.