news

Hillsboro, VA -- Hillsboro Mayor Roger Vance announced today that high-speed broadband service is now available to every Hillsboro residence and business via Town-owned fiber optic cable. “I’m proud to say we have solved the rural broadband access problem in Hillsboro through decisive and innovative actions, with the support of federal funding and in collaboration with the private sector.” 

Vance announced that with an agreement signed with Fredericksburg-based Internet Service Provider KGI Communications, an array of high-speed residential and commercial broadband service options is now available to Hillsboro consumers. “This reliable, true broadband providing exceptional speeds is possible because of the foresight we had to include construction of the Town-owned fiber optic conduit system as part of our ReThink9 infrastructure project. Ensuring that this critical infrastructure was included in the design was integral to our promise to ‘built it once, build it now, and built it right.’” 

According to Vance, residents and businesses within Hillsboro have been without reliable true broadband since the closure of the Waterford Telephone Company internet service in early 2021. “This has been an untenable and costly hardship on Hillsboro businesses, students, and the many residents required to work remotely. True broadband is not a luxury, it is a necessity for our children’s education, our residents’ livelihoods, and our Town’s economic development.” 

Juan Marte, KGI chief executive officer, said, “We are excited to offer Internet service to Hillsboro residents and appreciate the forward thinking of Town officials to build and provide the basic infrastructure to make it possible.”

Hillsboro’s ReThink9 was a multi-faceted traffic-calming and critical infrastructure project that included the undergrounding of all existing aerial utilities and the addition of Town-owned fiber optic conduits—as well as a new drinking water distribution system, sanitary sewer mains and stormwater collection system. “In just 14 months of construction,” Vance said, “we equipped one of Virginia’s best-preserved 18th-century Towns with tip-of-the-spear 21st-century infrastructure, while not only preserving—but enhancing—its historic integrity through context-sensitive design and materials, and extraordinary craftsmanship.” 

Vance called Hillsboro’s direct allocation of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds “the linchpin” that allowed the Town to move aggressively toward a solution. “The ARPA funding permitted Hillsboro to install its own fiber and then—in cooperation with the Loudoun County Economic Development Authority—provide the financial incentive that accelerated the offering of service to residents and businesses.”

Amy Marasco, Hillsboro project consultant and former vice mayor, said, “For 14 months the Town leadership reached out to numerous ISPs and fiber cable installers. In most cases—too typical across rural America—our small size did not align with their business models for providing residential service. However, KGI was not only interested, but they were ready to commit and promised service by the end of 2021 by partnering with installer Express-tek, which quickly designed the network and pulled the fiber in a most efficient and cost-effective manner.”

According to Vance, with the loss of service in spring 2021, the Town negotiated with commercial service provider Segra to bring fiber to the Town Hall to facilitate Town business and to allow local students, residents and businesses to access the Internet. “We are very appreciative to Segra for working with the Town for months to assist us in solving this problem, in both the short term and long term.”

Hillsboro residents David and Karin Price, who each run businesses from their home that rely on Internet access, said they have been working in space provided in Town Hall for months. David Price called Hillsboro’s broadband initiative “a godsend to local businesses and remote workers, all of whom are indebted to the Town’s bold action to take the lead, and to get it done.” 

Matt Scott, manager of Stoneybrook Farm Market, said, “The advent of true broadband is critical to the operations of our business and the level of service we offer our customers. Making this reliable, high-quality service available is essential for successful economic development. We applaud the leadership of Hillsboro, which continues to provide 21st-century infrastructure to this rural community.”

U.S. Representative Jennifer Wexton (D-10), who has been a stalwart advocate for the Hillsboro infrastructure projects and a strong supporter of the American Rescue Plan Act and the pending Build Back Better legislation said the Hillsboro project is “a perfect example” of the legislations’ benefits to be realized by local rural communities. 

"I'm thrilled that Hillsboro is successfully expanding access to high-speed broadband thanks to federal dollars that I fought hard to secure for our district," Wexton said in a prepared statement. "Broadband access is essential for our families and small businesses, and projects like this and the additional support that's on its way from our bipartisan infrastructure bill will soon make universal broadband a reality in every community across Virginia," she said.

Loudoun County Blue Ridge District Supervisor Tony Buffington, a leader in addressing the need for broadband in rural western Loudoun said, “I applaud Hillsboro’s leadership and success in ARPA funding to accelerate last mile broadband connections to its residents and business owners. This is a great example of how Towns, business owners and private individuals are beginning to take advantage of the County’s Emergency Broadband Initiative which utilized SEGRA to install a new privately accessible in-ground, middle mile fiber loop throughout western Loudoun.” 

Vance said KGI will begin marketing its service to residents and businesses in the coming days—including an open house on Cyber Monday, November 29—and expects to have the ability to provide service contracts to all properties in the Town before Christmas. “This is a fitting way to end a year in which our residents and businesses have had to endure so much,” Vance said.

###