Broadband update

The internet is an essential part of daily life. Its absence is a hardship. Far too many homes all over Goochland County have no “on ramp” to the information super highway.  

Eight years ago, a newly elected board of supervisors created a committee comprised of citizens knowledgeable in the information technology field, the Goochland High Speed Internet Committee (GHSIC), to investigate the issue, identify the obstacles, and make recommendations to solve the problem. The GHSIC soon learned that deployment of broadband to all corners of Goochland is not a one size fits all proposition, and that any solution would be complicated and expensive.

The county, however, continued its quest for ways to expand broadband. For complete information go to http://www.goochlandva.us/1012/Goochland-County---Broadband-Internet. This includes a history of the issue.

Over the years, more county residents have gotten access to “cable”, often when neighborhoods deal directly with Comcast, and pony up hefty sums of money per household to extend infrastructure above and beyond any connection fee.

The charm of rural character—large lots and distance from neighbors—is also a curse as related to broadband, especially when provided by cable or fiber in the ground. The more connections per mile of cable or fiber, the more cost-effective deployment is for the provider. Discussions on local social media pages seem to indicate that a variety of methods, including wireless options, have been successful in some places, not so much in others. Even cell service, sometimes a precursor to wireless internet availability, is wretched in places.

Advances in technology bring new ways to provide or improve broadband access. These include tower based wireless, satellites in geosynchronous orbit, tethered high flying balloons that supply signals to a particular area, use of abandoned white space on over the air television spectrums, and cable or fiber in the ground.  The last is perhaps the most expensive to deploy where homes are far apart.

Last September, Goochland County announced a ten-step initiative to jumpstart efforts to expand broadband internet county wide. In the short term, the county will make all six fire-rescue stations and the administration building hotspots beginning February 3. Space will be set aside inside the administration building for internet access. This is a short-term measure to tide people over until there is broadband everywhere.

On January 7, Administrative Services Manager Paul Drumwright presented a high-level update to the Sept 9 announcements.

Drumwright encouraged everyone to download the NACo (link available at the above site) test app to compare your speed with that defined by the FCC. It automatically shares information with NACo for nationwide comparison. That snapshot goes into an open source database run by Measurement Labs to document speeds reported over recent months. It is all anonymous. This confirms the location of needs for service.

An interactive broadband “needs and issue form” on the county website will help the county to work with residents to resolve problems with providers.

Drumwright said that the county is investigating the possibility of piggybacking on internet infrastructure being built by Dominion power and submitted a request for further information. This would be “middle mile” infrastructure, not the last mile to homes, which tends to be the most expensive piece.  Dominion plans to focus its internet expansion on economic development sites, business parks, schools, fire stations, etc. Broad Chair Susan Lascolette, District 1, said that Midpoint Industrial Park in Hadensville would benefit from this, but homes should be included too.

Currently, private providers, operating independent of any county financial support, are making inroads into the digital drought.  Port 80 Internet recently pulled fiber along River Road West from Crozier to Maidens Road.  This is a local ISP that worked with customers along the route, who paid a connection fee, to make the installation possible. Installing cable and fiber is an expensive proposition. Providers need a reasonable return on investment to stay in business. There is no free lunch.

 Another ISP, BOIP, has connected homes using wireless options since last summer. Central Virginia Electric Coop is building fiber in the Cartersville area and hopes to hook up its customers there later this year. No timetable for CVEC to extend service in the Hadensville and Shannon Hill area has been released.

Thanks to these new players in Goochland, Drumwright said, Comcast is reviewing targeted expansion in the county. “Not everywhere we want them to go but it’s nice that they’re making additional investment. “

County Administrator John Budesky explained that the county cannot become an internet provider. It could create an authority to do so, but this has drawbacks.

A January 16 article in The Central Virginian reported that Louisa County supervisors, who created an authority to expand broadband by contracting with a private ISP, are having buyer’s remorse as the provider did not perform up to expectations and declined to share its customer list to enable Louisa County to see what it received for a more than $1 million investment.

Goochland prefers to create a supportive environment to attract private investment. It is working with the Virginia Telecommunication Initiative (VaTI) and any other source with the potential to make broadband for all a reality in Goochland.

In the meantime, full citizen participation in surveys for signal speed and availability of service is vital in this effort. Please visit http://www.goochlandva.us/1012/Goochland-County---Broadband-Internet.