The Cumberland County Board of Supervisors has unanimously agreed to partner with an organization that could potentially aid in bringing broadband connections to the areas where they are most needed.

An evaluation of the county’s current broadband availability and the resources for increased broadband connection would be provided by the Center for Innovative Technology (CIT), which is based in Fairfax.

CIT’s Director of Broadband Programs Chuck Kirby and Broadband Project Manager Jean Plymale offered a presentation and addressed the board and audience during the Aug. 8 meeting.

Kirby and Plymale spoke about the CIT’s process, where representatives would first evaluate the county’s population and perform an analysis of the current broadband connections the county has.

After working with the county, the CIT would provide opportunities for funding and possible companies to install broadband connections.

“The goal is to make it easier, cheaper and faster to lay infrastructure to get the broadband to help out the community that is needed,” Kirby said.

According to the presentation, Powhatan, Amelia and Halifax counties have partnered with CIT. Mecklenburg, Nottoway and Brunswick counties’ boards of supervisors have approved plans to begin evaluations with CIT and Lunenburg is in its queue — or undergoing discussion with CIT.

County Administrator and County Attorney Vivian Seay Giles said during the meeting that CIT’s presentation addresses an issue that exists in the rural areas of the U.S. and in Cumberland County: the need for stable and widespread broadband connection.
“It’s not just a Cumberland County or a regional or Virginia’s problem — it’s a national problem,” Giles said. “Here in Virginia, the CIT is available to us as a resource to come in and evaluate communities. ”

District Two Supervisor Lloyd Banks posed a question following the presentation, inquiring as to what specific plans could people in the county expect, especially those in rural areas of Cumberland with little to no internet access.

“The question is, what potential exists? Are we looking at limited access to high density areas? How feasible is it to have broadband throughout the county, and what public access?” Banks said. “I live in a rural part of the county. The only access I’d have is satellite, which is expensive and obviously very limited.”

Plymale said the county has broadband opportunities in surrounding areas that could be tapped. She cited CenturyLink and Verizon, among others, as current services that could be further utilized and two nearby wireless providers SCS Broadband and Buggs Island Telephone Cooperative.

Plymale said CIT and county would gauge the price of these installations by sending Request for Proposals (RFP) to potential broadband providers. 

Following the presentation, the board voted unanimously in favor of partnering with the CIT.

Giles cited recent developments from the Mid-Atlantic Broadband Communities Corp. (MBC) and Microsoft Corp. in installing whitespace broadband technology in Halifax and Charlotte counties.