VTel Wireless Expansion in Southern Vermont
In 2010, the legislature established the Backroads Broadband program to support expansion of broadband service in unserved parts of the state not projected to be covered by the regulatory agreement between the State of Vermont and FairPoint or last-mile broadband projects funded by the Rural Utilities Service, primarily the VTel WOW! Project. The VTA Board approved a funding decision on March 15, 2011 supporting awards to FairPoint and to VTel Wireless.
VTel Wireless will provide broadband accessibility to Backroads Broadband Target Communities within the towns of Newfane, Westminster, Stratton and Wardsboro. Equipment installed to service these Target Communities will also provide expanded broadband coverage to areas within the towns of Putney, Townshend, and Dummerston.
This expansion project is funded through a $2,065,000 grant by the VTA and expands on the service areas identified in VTel’s federally funded Wireless Open World project.
VTel agreed to install the equipment necessary to provide 4G/LTE broadband access to consumers from towers and radio communications sites, using optical fiber and microwave for backhaul. The new infrastructure will support the delivery of services with an upload speed of at least one megabit per second and combined download and upload speeds equal to or greater than five megabits per second.
A service plan with maximum advertised speeds of 1.5Mbps symmetrical upload and download will be available at $10 per month with higher speed services available for $35 per month.
| Description | Extension of RUS-funded 4G wireless LTE network into additional unserved locations |
| Due date or estimated completion date | Fourth Quarter 2012 |
| Geographic area | Newfane, Westminster, Stratton, Wardsboro, Putney, Townshend, and Dummerston |
| Project status | In pre-construction |
| Dollars disbursed as of 12/31/11 | 0 |
| Dollars encumbered - Total | $2,065,000 |