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A grant completed by Cumberland County and Firefly Fiber Broadband may help bring reliable internet to those without service in much of the county.

In a Thursday, July 9 press release, Cumberland County officials announced an expanded broadband partnership with Central Virginia Services, Inc. (CVSI), which operates Firefly Fiber Broadband and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Central Virginia Electric Cooperative (CVEC).

According to the release, Firefly seeks to expand fiber-to-the-premise for 1,609 locations in Cumberland, representing a total of $9.7 million of new investment in the county, contingent upon the successful award of grant funding.

Officials stated in the release that Firefly submitted a USDA/RUS Broadband ReConnect 2020 grant application in mid-April 2020 to help offset the cost of building the new fiber. Throughout March and April, the county worked to help complete and successfully submit the application.

If the application proves successful, Firefly will expand fiber optic lines carrying gigabit level service to large portions of the county that have no reliable options for internet access by the end of 2023.

CVEC, according to the release, is currently building fiber to two of its substations in Cumberland County, allowing more than 1,500 CVEC members the opportunity to subscribe to Firefly Fiber BroadbandSM to receive high speed internet and phone services.

Fiber construction is almost complete at the Columbia substation, and connections are expected by the end of this summer.

The fiber build at the Cartersville substation is underway and connections are expected this winter.

The release added Cumberland residents who are interested in supporting Firefly’s USDA RUS Broadband ReConnect 2020 grant application can share their critical need for broadband in Cumberland by visiting https://www.usda.gov/reconnect/contact-us.