The Vermont Community Broadband Board (VCBB) is encouraging eligible Vermonters to apply for funding through the Affordable Long Drop program before it ends in September. The program’s funds help connect homes to fiber broadband, targeting homeowners with long or nonstandard connections.
In some cases, families can’t experience the fiber advantage — despite its availability in their neighborhoods — because of installations that can cost thousands of dollars.
The program was funded at $6.1 million through the Capital Projects Fund (CPF), which was part of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). VCBB Digital Equity Officer Britaney Watson told Telecompetitor last August that the program would pick up the entire cost of a long drop, provided funds are available, and the VCBB understands and agrees with the justification.
Several providers are participating in the program. Last year, two providers — NEK Broadband and CVFiber — said that there were hundreds of potentially eligible customers in their combined service areas of Caledonia, Essex, Lamoille, Orange, Orleans, and Washington counties.
In addition to NEK and CVFiber, the participating providers are:
- ECFiber (serving parts of Addison, Orange, Rutland, and Windsor counties)
- DVFiber (serving parts of Windham, Bennington, and Windsor counties)
- Franklin Telephone Company (serving parts of Franklin County)
- Maple Broadband (serving parts of Addison County)
- WCVT (serving parts of Addison, Caledonia, Chittenden, Essex, and Washington counties)
“Broadband availability alone is not enough if folks can’t afford to connect,” VCBB Executive Director Christine Hallquist said in a press release. “The Affordable Long Drop Program helps remove one of the final barriers to universal broadband access by helping Vermonters connect to reliable fiber broadband service. If you’ve been waiting to connect because of installation costs, now is the time to find out if you qualify.”
