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November 2, 2022

DVFiber Seeks to Hire Administrative Assistant

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Broadband Update for Wardsboro

From Wardsboro Broadband Committee

November 9, 2021

When will Wardsboro residents have truly fast, reliable Internet connections? The DVFiber/GWI partnership expects to connect their first customers by the second half of 2022. Wardsboro is one of six towns in phase 1 of the work that needs to be done to make high-speed Internet a reality here in 2022.

DVFiber is the business name for Deerfield Valley Communications Union District (DVCUD). Currently, Wardsboro and 23 other towns are members of DVCUD. Representatives and alternates from each town serve in some capacity on DVCUD’s governing board and committees, including your representative and alternates for Wardsboro from the Wardsboro Broadband Committee.

For the past 20 months, with the hard work of DVCUD’s governing board, officers, and committees, plus awards of grant money sought, the following has happened:

·         DVFiber was created;

·         DVFiber chose Great Works Internet (GWI) from Biddeford, Maine to be its partner;

·         In addition to other smaller grants, DVFiber received a $4.1 million broadband grant that was approved by the Vermont Community Broadband Board (VCBB) for pre-construction work of the network.

The pre-construction work involves work necessary to prepare for the actual installation of fiber optic cable along poles. This work is slated to begin now with the design of the network. During the first half of 2022, pre-construction work in the field will take place in the project’s phase 1 areas, which includes Wardsboro.

DVFiber plans to apply to VCBB in early 2022 for another, larger grant from federal funding. This grant, if awarded, would make it possible for the construction of DVFiber’s fiber optic cable network to begin as soon as possible in 2022.

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DVFiber Votes to Partner With Great Works Internet to Secure Broadband Access

July 1, 2021

At a special meeting on Thursday, July 1, the Deerfield Valley Communications Union District(DVCUD, dba DVFiber) Governing Board unanimously approved a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Great Works Internet (GWI) of Biddeford, ME in partnership with ValleyNet of Royalton, VT. This public/private partnership intends to secure broadband access for every home and business in the district, currently 24 member towns in three Vermont counties.

“We are pleased to begin work alongside GWI to complete this vitally important work,” said DVFiber Board Chair Ann Manwaring. “With this budding partnership, the vision of securing broadband access for everyone in our district is just that much closer to becoming a reality. We are fortunate to have funding from the American Recovery Act to accelerate our work.” DVCUD was established in April 2020 by the towns of Halifax, Marlboro, Stratton, Whitingham, and Wilmington after each voted in favor at Town Meetings in March 2020. In just 15 months the district expanded to include 24 towns, each of which is committed to securing reliable high-speed Internet for all residents. 

“GWI is incredibly excited to partner with DVFiber to bring fiber optic high-speed broadband to the DVFiber community, driven by choice and community asset ownership,” said GWI President and COO Kerem Durdag. “The reliable, robust and affordable open access network will allow the community to participate in 21st century activities like telehealth, remote working, distance education. Participation will help create multigenerational opportunities for economic, personal and community development.”

Great Works Internet, an Internet Service Provider (ISP), is also a certified B-Corporation, a designation identifying for-profit companies that use the power of business to build a more inclusive and sustainable economy. GWI's stated values support open access, net neutrality, and data privacy. Based in Maine, GWI will bring ValleyNet to the partnership. ValleyNet has a nearly 20-year history of broadband network construction and operation in the Upper Valley, around White River Junction. ValleyNet currently partners with ECFiber, a 30-town CUD in the Connecticut River Valley, Vermont’s earliest communications union district.

"There are many solutions to ensure powerful broadband universal access in Vermont and I’m pleased that ValleyNet can be part of the solution for DVFiber,” stated ValleyNet Board Chair Carol Monroe. “It’s essential that we leave no town behind. Our partnership with GWI in serving the southern Vermont region brings the strength and expertise of two companies that have experience in delivering a high quality, reliable service. This project strives to ensure all premises in the District will be able to receive affordable, accessible, high speed broadband fulfilling the needs of today and for many years to come."

Preconstruction work, engineering and design, is expected to begin this summer and fall with construction, hanging of fiber on phone poles, and drops to customers beginning in 2022. DVFiber’s business plan calls for fiber-based Internet to be available to unserved and poorly served areas by the end of 2024. GWI has committed to this goal, and will be coordinating closely with DVFiber on the commencement of the design and construction activities.

“This partnership is a great step forward for Rural Vermont,” said State Representative Laura Sibilia, who represents six towns in the Deerfield Valley Communications Union District. “Bringing high speed Internet to Rural Vermont has been a commitment of mine ever since I was elected to the Vermont House of Representatives. CUDs, which are special purpose municipalities, were established by the Legislature to bring 21st century Internet connections to people who live where commercial providers would not go. I am so proud of all the volunteers who came together to make this happen, and I would like to thank the Legislators from all our District towns for their support.”

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Informational Meeting November 17th

Posted 11/12/20

The Wardsboro Broadband Committee will hold a virtual public meeting via GoToMeeting on Nov. 17th at 7:00 PM.  The purpose of the meeting is to update Wardsboro homeowners on the status of building high speed internet in Wardsboro.  Wardsboro is a member town of DVFiber, the Consolidated Union District serving the Windham Region. The results of the recently published feasibility study and business plan developed by the Windham Regional Commission’s consulting team will also be shared. There will be time for questions from the public at the end of the meeting.

You can join the meeting from your computer, tablet or smartphone by going to https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/920683869.  You can also dial in using your phone. United States (Toll Free): 1 866 899 4679. Access Code: 920-683-869.

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DVFiber Expands

Posted 11/12/20

Nineteen towns are currently members of Deerfield Valley Communications Union District (known as DVFiber).

Brattleboro, Dover, Dummerston, Guilford, Halifax, Jamaica, Londonderry, Marlboro, Putney, Readsboro, Stamford, Stratton, Vernon, Wardsboro, Westminster, Weston, Whitingham, Wilmington, Windham

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DVFiber Receives Start-Up Grants

DVFiber announces two recent grant awards in support of work to secure reliable, high-speed broadband for southeastern Vermont. DVFiber is the not for profit business created by Deerfield Valley Communications Union District (DVCUD). 

DVFiber secured a grant of $100,000 from the Vermont Public Service Department via federal CARES Act funds. In accordance with the broadband business plan recently released by Windham Regional Commission (WRC), these funds will be used to complete pole studies in three towns: Stamford, Halifax, and Whitingham. 

“DVFiber stands committed to securing high-speed broadband for every premises in our expanding CUD. No commercial vendor will make this commitment,” explains DVFiber Chair Ann Manwaring.

The first phase toward a successful ‘Fiber To The Premises’ (FTTP) build-out requires that every telephone pole in the 15-town CUD be evaluated for readiness and capacity to support the type of fiber to be used throughout the coming network. (A fiber wire is a bundle of small glass strands through which data moves at the speed of light, in both directions.) Currently only Readsboro has sufficient pole data to move to next steps in the infrastructure build-out. The three towns supported by this grant funding are contiguous to Readsboro.

Hundreds of poles throughout the district carry electricity and communications lines - electricity on top, phone, cable TV, and Internet cables below. DVFiber has plans to add new fiber lines to all poles. “This work, required across the district, requires time and money to complete. Patience will be asked of all of us,” added Manwaring.

The WRC business plan states, “Many who read this business plan, especially the people who live in our member towns, may become disheartened when they read the likely time it will take to bring broadband to their homes and businesses. But, for the first time, we have a path to the possible when there was none before.”

A second grant award in the amount of $8,000, from Brattleboro Development Credit Corporation (BDCC), will support DVFiber operations build-out, specifically for legal and consulting support and for planned communications development. 

“Both of these grants provide important energy to the development of a community-based broadband network,” said Manwaring. “We are laser-focused on securing affordable, equitable high-speed Internet in our communities. The COVID pandemic has clarified this vital need, for education, for healthcare, for business. We are grateful for the support we have earned to date.”

For further information about the district and DVFiber, visit dvfiber.org.

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Broadband Funding Programs Announced

From Deerfield Valley Communications Union District (DVCUD)

Posted 8/12/20

The Vermont Public Service Department (PSD) is coordinating two programs funded by the federal CARES Act that aim to expand delivery of high-speed internet service (“broadband”), with particular attention to reaching locations that have needs for distance learning, telehealth, or telework.

1. The first program is for persons who live very close to locations that have cable service. The COVID-Response Line Extension Customer Assistance Program will pay up to $3,000 of each customer's share of cable line extension costs. A total grant pool of $2 million is available. For this program, customers must request the funding by completing and submitting a form found at https://publicservice.vermont.gov/content/vermont-covid-19-line-extension-customer-assistance-program. To qualify, a potential customer must first obtain a cost quotation for the line extension to the residence from their provider. Note: the cost per customer is reduced if many neighbors coordinate their individual applications as a group effort.   

2. The second program relies on providers to submit proposals to deliver service to addresses that have speeds of less than 25Mbps download / 3 Mbps upload. A total grant pool of $12 million is available. The PSD will award grants to selected proposals from providers based on whether they reach high priority addresses (primarily homes of K-12 students) and whether they deliver good value for the money. The providers will be required to provide at least 25/3 service to every location for which they are requesting grant funding.

The PSD is required to inform each Communications Union District of any grants that are requested in the CUD’s member towns. CUDs are empowered to object to these requests.  In the short term, the DVCUD will support extensions of service by current providers to any and all locations where it is needed. Next year the DVCUD plans to begin construction of a fiber network that delivers the high-speed internet service our residents will prefer.

Click here for the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):
https://publicservice.vermont.gov/sites/dps/files/documents/LECAP%20FAQ.pdf

If you have questions about the program after reviewing the materials, please call 800-622-4496 or email psd.consumer@vermont.gov

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Wardsboro Broadband Committee (WBC) Update

Posted 8/12/20

Wardsboro is a member of the Deerfield Valley Communications Union District (DVCUD). The DVCUD continues to grow and currently has 15 member towns that have committed to working together to bring effective and affordable high speed internet to their residents.

You can access meeting schedules and updates at the DVCUD website, dvfiber.org. Everyone is welcome to join these meetings and if you have a relevant skill, or just are interested, your help is welcome. If you like, please use the contact page at dvfiber.org .

The Wardsboro Broadband Committee (WBC) meets monthly via GoToMeeting. All are welcome to participate in our discussions. Meeting agendas and minutes (with remote links) are available on our website, wardsborotowncommittees.org. On the website is a link to the results of the feasibility study completed by Windham Regional Commission’s Broadband Project Consulting Team. In late August this consulting team will detail a sustainable Business Model to guide the DVCUD’s work. If you would like to receive information and updates directly, please join our email list by using the contact page at wardsborotowncommittees.org.

As always, please reach out to members of the WBC with questions, concerns, or suggestions that you would like to share with us or with the DVCUD Governing Board.

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Deerfield Valley Communications Union District (DVCUD)

Posted 8/12/20

Overview

The internet is an essential service for every Vermonter. The future of our community’s health depends on closing the digital divide and driving economic diversity. Our vision and principles are our core beliefs in setting a course to provide access to not just some but to ALL.

Vision and Principles

Equity

No one should face a barrier based on where they live. Priority installation will be given to unserved or underserved areas.

Performance

The internet should be fast and reliable, and the quality should improve over time as uses of the internet continue to evolve.  Our network should be capable of at least gigabit-per-second service to all fixed locations, with substantial additional capacity for future demand and flexibility to support rapid deployment of new technologies.

Affordability

Cost should not be a barrier for any Vermonter who wants to connect to the internet. The network design minimizes capital and operating costs, has a long useful lifespan, and provides low-cost upgrade paths to meet future demands or accommodate new technologies. The system should provide diverse service level options for residential and business connectivity.

Reliability

The network design should reflect the best industry practices for Vermont’s unique topography, partnering networks, and requirements of users.  The infrastructure will be reliable and resilient, designed to withstand equipment failures, power outages, natural disasters, or man-made disasters.

Privacy

Vermonters must be able to determine how their data is or is not used. Our network will support net neutrality. The network’s components will be secured against physical and electronic threats.

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Wardsboro Accepted into Deerfield Valley Communications Union District (DVCUD)

Posted 4/22/20

The Deerfield Valley Communications Union District (DVCUD) voted to accept both Wardsboro and Readsboro into the DVCUD at the Governing Board’s first meeting held on April 9th. Currently, the DVCUD’s seven member towns include Halifax, Marlboro, Readsboro, Stratton, Wardsboro, Whitingham, and Wilmington. To view the minutes of the first Governing Board meeting on April 9th click here: 04/09/20.

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Wardsboro Representative and Alternates Appointed to Deerfield Valley Communications Union District

Posted 4/3/20

The Wardsboro Selectboard appointed Thomas Almeida as Wardsboro’s representative to the Deerfield Valley Communications Union District (DVCUD) at their March 31st meeting. The Selectboard also appointed Lise Fortin and Donna Sebastian as alternates for the representative to the DVCUD.

The first official meeting of the DVCUD Board is scheduled for April 9th. We anticipate the DVCUD Board will accept Wardsboro’s request to join the DVCUD at that meeting. Once Wardsboro is accepted, Wardsboro’s representative becomes a voting member of the DVCUD Board.

Due to current circumstances, the DVCUD Board meeting will be conducted via video/phone conference.

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Broadband Survey

Posted 3/21/20

Thank you to all who completed and submitted the broadband survey. The final tallies have yet to be completed, but preliminary results indicate Wardsboro met the goal of at least a 20% response rate from our town and we may have surpassed that.

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Wardsboro Selectboard Votes to Join Deerfield Valley Communications Union District (DVCUD)

Posted: 3/21/20

At their March 17, 2020 meeting, the Selectboard followed the Wardsboro Broadband Committee recommendation to join the Deerfield Valley Communications Union District. The Selectboard signed a letter of application to join the DVCUD.

Currently, the towns of Halifax, Marlboro, Whitingham, Wilmington, and Stratton form the DVCUD. The Wardsboro Broadband Committee has been meeting with these and other towns in a group called the Deerfield Valley Broadband Working Group. Subcommittees from this larger group are doing the preliminary work necessary in preparation for the DVCUD’s first Governing Board meeting, which most likely will be held in May. Once the governing board of the DVCUD meets and adopts their bylaws, they should be able to address Wardsboro’s letter of application to join the DVCUD.

As part of the CUD, each member town is required to have a representative and one or two alternates that are appointed by the Selectboard. Their role is to serve on the CUD Board of Directors, to participate in the financial and operational decisions and most importantly, to represent and advocate for the citizens of Wardsboro. If you or someone you know would be interested in learning more about these positions and the opportunity to represent Wardsboro in this very important undertaking, please contact the Wardsboro Broadband Committee using the “Contact Us” link on the left side of this page.

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What is a CUD?

CUD stands for Communications Union District. It is a municipal entity that allows two or more towns to bond together to build a broadband infrastructure.  CUD’s work with other companies to build out a fiber optic, high speed broadband network as a non-profit entity. We can form a CUD now because of new state laws that were passed in June of 2019. 

A CUD cannot be funded via town property taxes. Taxpayers and towns cannot be held liable for the debts of the CUD. A CUD can be funded via grants, state and federal loans, private equity investment or revenue bonds.  Eventually, the CUD supports itself through the revenue from services provided.

Why form a CUD?

A CUD is an efficient way to design and construct a high-speed internet to serve all of the region.  It includes towns of various sizes to increase negotiating power with providers.   By taking advantage of the experiences of other towns, it prevents us from ‘reinventing the wheel’.  This means we can achieve our goal of making high-speed internet available for all more quickly.

Where are we now in this process?

Working with the Windham Regional Commission, Wardsboro has joined with area towns to complete a feasibility study. After the feasibility study is complete at the end of April, a business plan will be done that will give us important information like engineering design, costs, and risks.  A CUD is already being formed in our region. Our Selectboard looks favorably toward joining this CUD to bring high speed internet service to Wardsboro.