Vermont to Vote on $2.5 Million for Fiber Drop Program

WASHINGTON, September 6, 2024 – State officials in Vermont will soon consider using $2.5 million in federal COVID-19 relief money to help low-income residents connect to nearby fiber networks.

The proposed ‘Long Drop’ program would connect homes more than 400 feet from existing fiber lines, a distance not covered by standard service installations. The Vermont Community Broadband Board will vote on the proposal during its Sept. 9 meeting. 

If approved, the program will utilize remaining funds from the state’s American Rescue Plan Act allocation, which must be spent by the end of 2026. The state also plans to use $1.2 million from the Connectivity Initiative, a program funded with federal grants to expand broadband access.

Because of Vermont’s topography, the cost of installing underground connections can pose a financial burden for homeowners. Conduit installations or underground fiber drops can cost several thousand dollars. In rural areas, the costs can skyrocket to $10,000 or $12,000 per address.

VCBB Deputy Director Rob Fish estimated that at least 1,000 addresses across the state would benefit from the Long Drop program, noting that priority will be given to households eligible for other state assistance programs and manufactured home communities.

Vermont received $245 million in ARPA funding for broadband build-out, much of which has already been distributed to the state’s Communications Union Districts, the local, nonprofit groups leading fiber construction efforts across the state.

“People who are low-income should be the priority, but buried service is a barrier for even middle-income households,” Ellie de Villiers, executive director of Maple Broadband, the CUD that serves 20 towns in Addison County, told Vermont Public. “It’s great to start addressing this, but it’s going to be a longer-term challenge.”

The VCBB was working on an affordability policy but has not yet determined how to integrate it into its funding decisions.