Rappahannock County officials still do not know if All Points Broadband will delay fiber construction in Rappahannock County after the company sent a stern letter more than two weeks ago following a missed payment to a broadband expansion project.
Because the county made the first payment past the deadline, All Points has said it may delay installation of fiber connections in Rappahannock until the county pays the full $5.9 million, which the body earmarked last week. A letter from All Points stated that the determination could be revisited, but it is unclear what that decision will be. Rappahannock was the only county in the agreement to make the payment late.
All Points and the Northern Shenandoah Valley Regional Commission have not responded to multiple requests for comment from the Rappahannock News.
Construction was expected to begin in Rappahannock County next year and continue until the end of July 2025, but that timeline is no longer certain in light of All Points’ threats.
County Administrator Garrey Curry sent All Points and the Northern Shenandoah Valley Regional Commission (NSVRC) a letter last week after the authority approved the late payment, along with all future payments, informing the company of the body’s actions.
FAST FACTS | BROADBAND
RAPPAHANNOCK’S COMMITMENT: On May 2, the Board of Supervisors voted three-to-two to join 7 neighboring counties to participate in a high-speed fiber optic broadband project, offering connectivity to thousands of Virginians with unreliable connections or none at all.
NATURE OF THE AGREEMENT: Rappahannock’s commitment isn’t structured as a service procurement, but a contract making the county part of a larger public-private development project that involves a mosaic of companies, utilities, and agencies.
WHO’S ACTUALLY PAYING?: Not Rappahannock taxpayers. The state of Virginia is putting up $96 million from its allotment of pandemic rescue funds under the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). Rappahannock allocated $715,768 from its share of ARPA funds. Another $5.6 million was pledged by local supporters– including the Akre family’s philanthropic foundation, the Rappahannock County Public Schools, and the Warrenton-based PATH Foundation.
THE SERVICE ISN’T FREE: All Points, a Leesburg-based broadband firm, would install fiber-optic for homes and businesses at an across-the-board rate of $199 per connection. Subscribers then pay a monthly rate of $59.99, which can increase with the rate of inflation.
WHO ELSE IS INVOLVED? The fiscal agent is the Northern Shenandoah Valley Regional Commission, which reviews reports from All Points, and then requests reimbursements from the Virginia Department of Housing & Community Development, which in turn draws funds from the Virginia Telecommunications Initiative. In signing the contract after its May 2 vote, Rappahannock, with the other seven counties, agreed to make quarterly payments to the NSVRC, which would make regular reports back to the participating counties. The first payment is due Oct. 1.
TIMELINE FOR INSTALLATION: The State of Virginia set July 2025, as the deadline for All Points to construct the broadband network. All Points hasn’t provided details on when and where the work will get underway.
WILL EVERYONE BE SERVED? All Points and the regional commission have stated multiple times that the company is committed to providing “universal coverage.” Representatives from the company and the NSVRC have said that any resident who wants to receive All Points coverage and isn’t currently served by an internet service provider that can deliver adequate speeds will be eligible for fiber.
HOW CAN YOU FIND OUT IF YOU’RE ELIGIBLE FOR THE NEW SERVICE? The first step is to take this online survey: https://fiber.allpointsbroadband.com/.
— Tim Carrington for Foothills Forum
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