Conquering the Digital Divide: One Connection at a Time

About the Program

Category: Community and Economic Development (Best in Category)

Year: 2023

Orange County, Virginia’s elected officials have successfully bridged the digital divide by being one of the first counties in the nation to address the highspeed internet disparities that impacted our community. Connection in the digital age is vital to a healthy and vibrant community. Orange County’s rural geography poses construction and financial hurdles for private sector broadband companies to maneuver due to the large upfront capital costs and a small customer base. As such, Orange County residents were negatively impacted by the lack of high-speed broadband. The Orange County Board of Supervisors recognized the demand for broadband to deliver efficient and effective local government services, promote economic development, and empower our student population. The Board of Supervisors established and authorized the Orange County Broadband Authority (FiberLync) to bring high-speed fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) broadband services to the community. Within the first four (4) years of deployment, the Orange County Broadband Authority has connected to the largest wholesale internet provider in the world, created a sustainable customer service and business model, laid over 360 miles of fiber (out of a total 603 miles of unserved roadways), connected 3,586 subscribers for an average “take rate” of 59.79%, and amassed over 5,400 subscribers on a waitlist. 60% of previously unserved residents are currently connected. Appendix A- Summary Chart.