Broadband Initiative

broadband-word-cloud-pictureUPDATE - February 2023


The Board of Supervisors heard an update from Firefly President, Gary Wood, on the continued broadband initiative in Powhatan. To access the video of the update, click here: https://www.youtube.com/live/hPkq4vwUgUk?feature=share&t=656

A copy of the slide presentation can be accessed in our document center.

Additional information can be found on the Firefly Powhatan webpage https://www.fireflyva.com/partners-powhatan/


UPDATE - April 2021


The Board of Supervisors held a workshop on March 23, 2021 to discuss the County's broadband initiative. To view the meeting in its entirety, click the following link: https://youtu.be/nsbbQ7aM3Qw. 

A revised map of the project areas can be accessed by clicking the following link: https://powhatancounty.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=6aa26e393992411d98748d6b7e3bad8f

Port 80 has three active projects in Districts 2, 3 and 5 with installations in process. For information on service, visit their website at http://port80.us/

Firefly has two developing projects. The Firefly RDOF project was recently awarded grant funding in December 2020. The Firefly Reconnect project has applied for grant funding and is awaiting award notice. 

​June 10, 2020 Partnership with Firefly Fiber Broadband Announced

On Wednesday, June 10, 2020, Powhatan County announced a newly expanded broadband partnership with Central Virginia Services, Inc. (CVSI) which operates Firefly Fiber Broadband, a wholly-owned subsidiary of with Central Virginia Electric Cooperative (CVEC). Firefly seeks to expand fiber-to-the-premise for 1559 locations in western Powhatan representing a total of $7.2 million of new investment in the county, contingent upon the successful award of grant funding.  

Firefly submitted a USDA/RUS Broadband ReConnect 2020 grant application in mid-April 2020. The county worked through March and April to help complete the application and successfully submit it.  If successful, it will expand fiber optic lines carrying gigabit level service to large portions of the county that have no reliable options for internet access. If the grant is awarded, the vast, new system will be built and connected by the end of 2023.

Powhatan residents who are interested in supporting Firefly’s USDA RUS Broadband ReConnect 2020 grant application can share their critical need for broadband in Powhatan by visiting: 

https://www.usda.gov/reconnect/contact-us.



June 11, 2018 Board Work Session Materials

 The following items will be included on the 06/11/18 Board Agenda:

NOTE: These are topographic maps that can be used to estimate service availability.  Each location is unique and will need to be reviewed by SCS to determine service availability.  

  • Low Resolution Downloads
  1. Low Resolution Complete Map Set (PDF 4MB)
  • High Resolution Downloads (PDF ~15MB Each)
  1. 2407 Mitchell Rd 
  2. 2272 Walnut Tree Blvd
  3. Cartersville - Not Available
  4. 1901 Judes Ferry Rd
  5. 1914 Luck Stone Rd 
  6. 1061 Dorset Rd
  7. 2561B Judes Ferry Rd
  8. 5206 Anderson Hwy
  9. 3610 Bolling Rd
  10. 3454 Lewis Ln


​June 1, 2018 SCS Broadband Update: 

Click HERE for the 'Project Status Report' submitted by SCS Broadband to Powhatan County. 


​May 14, 2018 SCS Broadband Update:

SCS Broadband had updated their status page to include potential tower sites and project statuses. Follow this link for more information: https://scsbroadband.com/county-status/. 



Mar​ch 1, 2018 SCS Broadband Update: 

A community pole is proposed for installation in the Westlake community.  Marketing postcards and phone calls for the Mitchell Road tower area will be underway in March. American Tower assigned a staff member to expedite SCS Broadband leasing process for their towers. SCS is waiting on the response from SBA towers, with a high priority for two of their towers.

With the tower leasing situation improving, along with better weather, SCS predicts better progress over the next 2-3 months.

SCS Broadband is submitting a revised project time-frame, by tower and region, later this week, and a monthly status reporting system has been implemented for regular progress updates. 

Additionally, Powhatan County’s Administrator will be participating with Goochland County’s Administrator, and other communities, in a regional meeting with SCS Broadband to ascertain what can be done to accelerate deployment.

SCS Broadband website


October 26,2017 Wireless Update:

We are very pleased to announce that SCS broadband has installed equipment and is now signing up customers in close proximity to the County Tower located at 2407 Mitchell Rd, (next to the Convenience Center). If you live within 5 to 7 air miles (not road miles) of that location and are interested in this service, please follow the link below to their website to sign up for service and have SCS Broadband come to your house to determine your eligibility. 

Click Here to Sign Up

You Tube video of equipment installation: 

Click Here for Video of Installation

September 28, 2017 Wireless Update:


SCS has installed equipment onto the Mitchell Road tower, but there has been a delay with the Internet Service Provider that is provisioning the Fiber to that tower in providing them with the IP addresses needed to start the service.  This provider just happens to also have a lot of infrastructure in areas that were devastated by the recent hurricanes and has had to re-route a lot of their manpower to those areas.  We apologize for the delay in lighting up this first initial tower,but we hope to have it live soon.

May 22, 2017 Wireless Update:


Powhatan County through their partnership with SCS Broadband is working to complete the infrastructure needed to load and start service off of the first towers within the next 60 days. The planned initial towers are the County's Mitchell Road Tower, and a commercially owned tower off of Route 522 in the Jefferson area. SCS hopes to begin offering service plans to customers in these areas in early August 2017. Click here to be notified when service is available for your location. 
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The Powhatan Broadband Initiative page provides information on methods of obtaining affordable high speed internet service.  The County conducted a broadband survey on the current status of Broadband availability for the homes and businesses in Powhatan County.

Click HERE for results. 

On January 23, 2016, SCS Broadband presented the Broadband Implementation Plan for Powhatan County to the Board of Supervisors. Powhatan County and SCS Broadband entered into a contract in September 2016 to bring wireless broadband to the county within the next year. SCS Broadband is planning to build out a network to bring internet to residents and businesses within the next year. Please click on the link below to be notified when service is available for your location.

http://acelanet.com/service/

Thank you and we are excited to get this project started.

1-23-17 BOS Regular Meeting with Broadband Implementation Plan Presentation at the 7:30 Mark
Links

Center for Innovative Technology
Virginia Office of Telework Promotion and Broadband Assistance
Virginia State Corporation Commission

Documents: 

  1. 01.23.2017 Powhatan Broadband Network HISTORY as of 01 23 2017
  2. Powhatan Broadband Citizen Survey
  3. Powhatan Broadband Citizen Survey Report CIT 2016
  4. Powhatan Broadband Citizen Survey Summary Presentation CIT 2016
  5. Powhatan County Broadband Needs Assessment April 2011
  6. Powhatan County Broadband Recommendations July 2011
  7. CIT Broadband Funding Options 2015
  8. CIT Broadband Glossary
  9. CIT Improving Broadband Access ane Ulitlization in Virginia White Paper 2
  10. CIT Mobile-vs-Fixed-Wireless
  11. Franklin County VA a casestudy 2008
  12. Franklin County VA B2X Security 2015
  13. Franklin County VA B2X Services 2015

10/26/15 Town Hall Meeting Discussing Broadband