CVFiber in the News
2/21/24, VermontBiz: CVFiber is excited to bring fiber Internet service to parts of Middlesex and additional parts of Worcester. Site surveys have already begun in the area to help decrease installation wait times. https://vermontbiz.com/news/2024/february/21/cvfiber-brings-service-middlesex-and-worcester
1/24/24, Times Argus: CVFiber community-owned and -operated internet service provider, expands into East Montpelier and Worcester and continues to connect customers in additional parts of Calais. https://www.timesargus.com/news/community/times-argus-community-news/article_2605d912-3c1c-5635-932c-ccafdf6781bc.html
1/22/24, VermontBiz: CVFiber has expanded into East Montpelier and Worcester and continues to connect customers in additional parts of Calais. https://vermontbiz.com/news/2024/january/22/cvfiber-expands-washington-county
10/18/23, VTDigger: Vermont’s strategy for extending broadband to every address in the state has begun to bear fruit for rural Vermonters who have lacked adequate internet access. https://vtdigger.org/2023/10/18/cvfiber-connects-first-broadband-customers-in-calais/
10/15/23, VermontBiz: The Vermont Community Broadband Board at the end of August submitted Vermont’s FIve-Year Action Plan to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration. https://vermontbiz.com/news/2023/october/15/progress-broadband-made-long-way-last-mile
10/11/23, VermontBiz: CVFiber has connected its first customers to high-speed, fiber-optic Internet. CVFiber leadership, state, and local officials joined in a ribbon cutting today in Calais celebrating the communications union district’s (CUD’s) first connected customers. https://vermontbiz.com/news/2023/october/11/cvfiber-connects-first-customer
10/11/23, Times Argus: Calais CVFiber Delegate David Healy, center, cuts a ribbon Wednesday during a celebration at the Calais Town Hall to mark the first Calais residents being connected to the CVFiber high-speed network. https://www.timesargus.com/slider/cvfiber-celebration/image_573b495c-f36c-5288-a2ed-b6e1bf5ce329.html
10/10/23, Hardwick Gazette: CVFiber to Connect First Customers https://hardwickgazette.com/2023/10/11/cv-fiber-to-connect-first-customers/
10/6/23, Vermont Viewpoint: Kevin Ellis publicizes Calais Ribbon Cutting event https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/vermont-viewpoint-2177317/episodes/hour-2-seven-days-188272718
7/26/23, WCAX3 News: Vt. broadband crews navigate bad weather, tough terrain to get the job done
https://www.wcax.com/2023/07/20/how-cud-construction-navigates-nature/
6/13/21, Valley Reporter: CVFiber board member Chuck Burt presents the organization’s plan for universal high-speed broadband to the Moretown Selectboard.
https://www.valleyreporter.com/index.php/news/local-news/15821-central-vermont-fiber-plans-to-bring-high-speed-internet-to-moretown
6/11/21, Vermont Business Magazine: The Vermont Department of Public Service unveils a draft of its ten-year communications plan, including the buildout of universal broadband. Communications Union Districts including CVFiber will play a central role.
https://vermontbiz.com/news/2021/june/11/vermont-dps-releases-final-draft-ten-year-telecommunications-plan
6/8/21, WAMC Radio: U.S. Rep. Peter Welch meets with representatives of Vermont’s CUDs, including CVFiber chair Jeremy Hansen, to discuss efforts to connect all Vermonters to high-speed internet.
https://www.wamc.org/post/vermont-congressman-discusses-status-broadband-buildout-across-state
3/16/20, VTDigger: Funding is the biggest challenge facing CUDs. CVFiber chair Jeremy Hansen describes the planning effort and the need for state and federal aid in making universal broadband a reality.
https://vtdigger.org/2020/03/16/in-new-broadband-districts-funding-may-be-the-main-challenge/
10/23/19, Times Argus: CVFiber is looking to ECFiber, the pioneering CUD in Vermont, as a model for achieving universal broadband.
https://www.timesargus.com/news/local/ecfiber-helps-pave-the-way-for-other-community-broadband-entities/article_70aee886-2bad-5394-a740-7157788ffd45.html
Vermont CUD & Broadband News
2/20/24: Vermont Legislature: 2023 Vermont Community Broadband Board (VCBB) Annual Report
1/19/24: Fierce Telecom: In Vermont, local broadband is bolstered by communications union districts (CUDs), municipalities mostly made up of volunteers from the towns involved. https://www.fiercetelecom.com/broadband/us-now-has-nearly-450-municipal-broadband-networks
1/18/24, Institute for Local Self-Reliance (ILSR). Reposted by Community Networks: As the new year begins, the ILSR announced today its latest tally of municipal broadband networks which shows a dramatic surge in the number of communities building publicly-owned, locally controlled high-speed Internet infrastructure over the last three years. https://ilsr.org/municipal-broadband-skyrocket-as-alternative-to-private-models/; https://communitynets.org/content/new-municipal-broadband-networks-skyrocket-post-pandemic-america-alternative-private
7/20/21, Vermont Digger: How to Spend a Broadband Windfall https://vtdigger.org/2021/07/20/the-deeper-dig-how-to-spend-a-broadband-windfall/
5/19/21, VTDigger: The House and Senate reach agreement on H.360, the bill that establishes a regulatory framework for broadband service and includes $150 million in federal Covid relief aid for broadband. CUDs will be given priority for grant funding.
https://vtdigger.org/2021/05/19/house-and-senate-reach-deal-on-150-million-broadband-package/
5/11/21, Seven Days: The Vermont Senate approves its version of H.360, the broadband bill, including $100 million in state grant funding for CUDs. https://www.sevendaysvt.com/OffMessage/archives/2021/05/11/vermont-senate-backs-100-million-broadband-bill
5/6/21, WCAX-TV: Vermont lawmakers are hammering out the details of H.360, a massive broadband bill. https://www.wcax.com/video/2021/05/06/connecting-last-mile-vt-lawmakers-hammer-out-milli
4/27/21, VTDigger: A windfall of federal Covid-19 relief aid promises to jumpstart Vermont’s efforts to provide universal broadband service. But state officials will have to decide how best to spend the money. https://vtdigger.org/2021/04/27/with-a-federal-windfall-how-will-vermont-chart-a-path-toward-universal-broadband/
4/6/21, Seven Days: Gov. Phil Scott unveils his plan to spend more than $1 billion in federal pandemic aid from the American Recovery Plan Act, including $250.5 million for broadband.
https://www.sevendaysvt.com/OffMessage/archives/2021/04/06/scott-proposes-divvying-up-1-billion-in-aid-to-housing-broadband-and-more
4/4/21, VTDigger: An essay by State Reps. Tim Briglin and Laura Sibilia about the necessity for eliminating the “digital divide” between urban and rural areas in Vermont, and how H.360 would accelerate the buildout. https://vtdigger.org/2021/04/04/briglin-sibilia-vermonts-rural-electrification-project-for-broadband/
4/2/21, Broadband Breakfast: The Vermont House approves H.360, a bill to create a state broadband office to coordinate and accelerate statewide broadband expansion. The bill would place CUDs at the heart of the effort; next, it goes to the Vermont Senate.
https://broadbandbreakfast.com/2021/04/vermont-house-backs-150-million-broadband-plan-creating-new-state-office/
3/25/21, VTDigger: Essay by F.X. Flinn, president of the Vermont Association of Communications Union Districts, about the urgent need for universal broadband in Vermont and how an influx of federal aid would make a huge difference.
https://vtdigger.org/2021/03/25/f-x-flinn-broadband-infrastructure-whats-vermonts-mountaintop/
1/26/21, VTDigger: Gov. Phil Scott delivers his annual budget address. His budget proposal includes $20 milion for broadband.
https://vtdigger.org/2021/01/26/in-budget-address-scott-pitches-major-investments-in-pandemic-recovery/