In November, Lumos announced that consumers and businesses in Alleghany Highlands, Virginia now have access to its 100% fiber network.
Lumos says it now offers direct fiber-to-the-premises (FTTP) internet connections at speeds the region has never had before, "eliminating the digital divide and placing Alleghany Highlands at the forefront of the gig economy," according to a press release.
The completion of the fiber expansion marks a significant increase of over 12,000 fiber-capable addresses, and the addition of more than 650 route miles of fiber within the Alleghany Highlands.
Public/private partnerships key to broadband
Lumos maintains that its completion of the project demonstrates the effectiveness of public/private partnerships to bring broadband to rural communities. Lumos worked on the Alleghany Highlands initiative with the US Department of Agriculture’s Rural Utilities Service initiative.
“Our goal is to bring gig-speed fiber internet to as many people as possible, especially those in underserved communities,” Lumos CEO Diego Anderson said. “I’m thrilled to announce we now have a 100% fiber network in Alleghany Highlands, which brings the first future-proof network to the area and one that is essential for Alleghany Highlands to thrive in the gig economy and continue to attract and retain the best and brightest who want to live and work in this beautiful location within the Commonwealth.”
Since completing the network construction, Lumos notes it has continued investing in the community to bring universal fiber internet, with a total investment of over $21 million.
Anderson added, “Our fiber broadband network anchors the area’s campaign to attract new residents and businesses to ‘Live Uniquely, Work Remotely.’ Only a 100% fiber network can provide the reliability and consistently fast download and upload connections necessary for ultra-high-bandwidth applications including HD quality video meetings, virtual learning, latency-free VR gaming, e-commerce, and cloud computing."
Fiber broadband helps local economies
With the completion of the project, Lumos contends "Alleghany Highlands leapfrogs a generation, enabling an economic boom and the ability to attract gig workers who want to live, learn, work, and thrive in the region."
“This milestone culminates a monumental collaborative public-private partnership effort between the leadership in the county, city, and towns in the Alleghany Highlands,” said Alleghany Highlands Delegate Terry Austin. “This type of alliance for the greater good of the region is what makes this area special, and we will continue to highlight the region as a great place to live and work, now with the huge asset of universal fiber broadband.”
Visit www.LumosFiber.com.
