2 Vermont groups announce plans to expand broadband internet

Northwest FiberworX and Lamoille FiberNet announced Wednesday that they are in advanced talks with Google Fiber, the network’s first retailer.

Shane Kyo, director of the Northwest Fiberwork X Agency, said Wednesday that the staff will begin laying 2,152 miles of fiber optic cable this summer and will be completed in three years.

The state and federal governments are working to improve access to broadband services throughout Vermont, especially in low-income rural areas of the state.

The state has allocated $ 300 million for the process.

Potential customers will be in the 31 communities of Lake Vermont Lake Champline Islands and the counties of Chitenden, Franklin and Lamoil, Kio said. Once fiber reaches the community, customers there can immediately connect to the network.

According to Kyo, 50% to 60% of the estimated $ 109 million is funded by state and federal aid. The rest comes from personal financial support.

Vermont has nine Communication Union districts with two or more communities joined together as municipalities to help expand broadband services to the less affluent parts of the state.

The network, developed by Northwest FiberWerx and Lamoil Fibernet, can be used by retail Internet service providers, mobile phone providers, schools, municipalities and other organizations.

Google Fiber Corporate Development Director David Finn said in a statement that the company is committed to bringing fiber internet services to every home and business in the two rural districts and the country.

“We are very happy to discuss with them how Google Fiber can do that,” said Finn. “We hope this project will serve as a model for many other communities that need fast and reliable Internet access.”