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Groton HUB Featured in Journal Opinion News

We’re grateful for the recent coverage of our Groton Connectivity HUB following our grand opening on June 27!

The HUB is already showing the impact of having a dedicated community space for digital access, learning, and connection. Thanks to the support of our incredible partners, we’re off to a strong start with programs that are creating new opportunities for our community.

Read more in the Journal Opinion News: https://jonews.com/groton-hub-celebrates-community/

Journal Opinion_GrotonHubJuly2026Download

Vermont’s NEK Broadband Expands High-Speed Fiber Internet Service to Derby and Holland

For Immediate Release, July 7, 2026

Media Contact:
Julia Vallera, Director of Marketing, NEKCV
802-222-0443

Free Underground and Long-Distance Aerial Fiber Installations Available

Derby and Holland are the latest communities to gain access to high-speed fiber internet and WiFi home telephone service through NEK Broadband, joining a growing number of towns across the Northeast Kingdom. 

In fact, a United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) ReConnect Grant is funding the construction of fiber optic lines and network equipment in all of Essex County. The goal is to complete service availability there by the end of 2026.

In today’s world, reliable high-speed internet is key to finding educational opportunities, healthcare resources, employment, and staying connected with family and friends. Almost all locations in the expansion areas of Holland and Derby have had limited access to the internet, with only slow speeds over aging and outdated copper lines. Derby now has service in the eastern area of town, with additional locations currently under construction.  

Holland has regularly been left behind on telephone and internet upgrades for many decades. That has changed for good. 75 percent of the addresses in Holland now have access to robust internet speeds, up to NEK Broadband’s Ultra service at 2 Gigs – both upload and download. The remaining locations in Holland, those with electric utility connections, will be able to sign up by the end of the year. 

In addition, free pole-to-home and underground conduit installations for eligible locations are now offered. Residents can learn about the Zero-cost Internet Install Program (ZIIP) and apply on the nekbroadband.org website under “Service.” ZIIP funding is also through a USDA ReConnect grant, with additional funding from the Vermont Community Broadband Board American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).

Find out whether a specific address is included, subscribe for service, or register for updates by going to get.nekbroadband.org. 

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NEK Community Broadband (doing business as NEKCV, NEK Broadband and CVFiber) is a communications union district (CUD) that is community-driven and working to ensure every resident with utility service across 72 towns in Northeast and Central Vermont has access to high-speed internet with symmetrical speeds up to two gigabits per second. Affordable internet is central to creating greater economic prosperity and educational opportunities. The communications union district is committed to investing profits into the network, increasing affordability and supporting digital access and literacy. More information is available at nekcv.org.

Funding Sources

The funding for NEK Broadband’s major infrastructure effort has come from a USDA Reconnect grant and the ARPA Capital Projects Fund. Both the Derby and Holland select boards allocated ARPA funds to help accelerate getting this much-needed internet service to local residents. 

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) awarded $17,463,911to NEK Broadband  through the USDA ReConnect Loan & Grant Program. The overall investment will be used to deploy a high-speed internet network to benefit 3,295 people, 94 businesses, 183 farms and 11 educational facilities in Caledonia, Essex and Orleans counties.

NEK Broadband and CVFiber Celebrate Growth With Launch of Budget-Friendly $59 Fiber Internet Plan

For Immediate Release, May 11, 2026

Media Contact:
Julia Vallera, Director of Marketing, NEKCV
802-222-0443

A new 50/50 Mbps service tier is designed to provide reliable connectivity at a lower cost for households with light-to-moderate internet needs.

Saint Johnsbury, Vermont — NEK Broadband and CVFiber (collectively, NEKCV) recently announced their newest internet offering: a 50/50 Mbps plan for $59 per month. This fiber internet service is designed to meet the needs of everyday users while expanding access to reliable internet throughout the 72-town communications union district.

NEKCV Executive Director Christa Shute said, “This price reduction is possible because of Vermont’s commitment of ARPA grant dollars and Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) grant funds, which together will fully fund construction to all unserved addresses in our district. By not borrowing for that construction, we can lower our price accordingly.”

In the past few years, NEK Broadband and CVFiber have built over 1,300 miles of fiber-optic cable to addresses without reliable internet service. The existing network buildout and resulting customer base, coupled with the grant funding, have enabled them to respond to a need many people have expressed: a budget-friendly plan that anyone can access.   

“Offering a $59 internet plan reflects NEK Broadband and CVFiber’s shared commitment to ensuring reliable, affordable internet access for residents across our district,” said Nick Anzalone, Chair of the NEKCV Board of Directors. “For income-qualified households, an additional $30 discount may reduce the monthly cost to just $29, helping make high-speed internet accessible to even more Vermonters. We recognize the unique needs of our rural communities and have worked to provide a solution that supports how people live, work, and stay connected.”

Vermonters rely on internet access for remote work, online learning, streaming, entertainment, and staying connected with family and friends. The new plan provides symmetrical speeds of up to 50/50 Mbps, providing consistent performance for both uploads and downloads. It is ideal for smaller households or those with light-to-moderate internet use. 

Basic 50/50 Plan Highlights

  • $59/month
  • No installation fee
  • Unlimited data
  • Local customer and technical support

For households or businesses with heavier demands—such as frequent large file uploads and downloads, high-volume simultaneous usage, or the need to support a large number of smart-home devices—faster plans ranging from 100 Mbps to 2 Gbps are also available. 

“Through our digital navigation work, we see every day how access to affordable internet can transform lives,” said Heather Alger, Associate Director of Economic Access Programs at NEKCA. “This new plan represents an important step forward in expanding digital inclusion and creating long-term opportunities for residents across the Northeast Kingdom.”

Built on fiber-optic lines strung on utility poles, the service delivers consistent speeds, low latency, and the reliability Vermonters need and deserve, even during severe weather. 

Expanding broadband internet access in the Northeast Kingdom and Central Vermont will support the growing needs of even the most rural businesses and residents as they connect to resources throughout our state, across the country, and around the world.

Learn about all the plans and sign up for updates by visiting https://nekbroadband.org/ (NEK residents) or https://cvfiber.net/ (Central Vermont residents).

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NEK Community Broadband (doing business as NEKCV, NEK Broadband and CVFiber) is a communications union district (CUD) that is community-driven and working to ensure every resident with utility service across 72 towns in Northeast and Central Vermont has access to high-speed internet with symmetrical speeds up to two gigabits per second. Affordable internet is central to creating greater economic prosperity and educational opportunities. The communications union district is committed to investing profits into the network, increasing affordability and supporting digital access and literacy. More information is available at nekcv.org.

Press Materials

Request for Proposal: RFP NEKCV 4-21-2026 

Fiber Optic Cable Request For Proposals

Please contact us at   for more information and to submit proposals.

RFP: NEKB Environmental Review

Deadlines:

Questions Due: 4/27/26

Answers Due by 4/28/26

Proposal Submission Deadline: 4/29/26

Proposal Award Notification Date: 4/30/26

NEKCV Awarded Federal BEAD Funding to Expand High-Speed Internet Access

For immediate release, February 11, 2026

Saint Johnsbury, Vermont — NEK Community Broadband (doing business as NEKCV, NEK Broadband and CVFiber) announced today that it has been awarded federal Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) funding, a milestone made possible through sustained community engagement and strong support from state and federal legislators.

The award will accelerate NEKCV’s mission to deliver reliable, affordable, publicly owned high-speed internet to some of Vermont’s most rural and least connected communities. BEAD funding will extend coverage to addresses along more than 1,400 miles of roadway, ultimately helping NEKCV reach 7,441 unserved and underserved addresses. Upon completion of the four-year BEAD project, NEKCV will have leveraged dozens of grant funding sources to achieve universal service for the 24,000 addresses without high-speed connectivity in its 72-town district.

“This is a generational opportunity to achieve universal broadband access,” said Christa Shute, NEKCV Executive Director. “We began laying the strategic groundwork for BEAD in 2021, when the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act was passed.  We are so grateful for the support of the Vermont Legislature, the Governor, our delegation, our strategic partners, the NEK Broadband / CVFiber merger, the work of VCUDA, and over 130 volunteers who serve on our board for the contributions they made to make this happen over the last four years.”

NEKCV also credited strong leadership from the Vermont Community Broadband Board (VCBB) and state and federal legislators for championing broadband expansion and ensuring that rural communities and communications union districts were well positioned to compete successfully for BEAD funding.

Residents across the Northeast Kingdom and Central Vermont played a vital role by sharing their experiences with limited or nonexistent broadband access and by supporting local and state efforts to prioritize connectivity as essential infrastructure. Their voices helped shape a compelling case for investment that highlighted how improved connectivity will support education, healthcare, economic development, and quality of life.

“The impact of this award is nothing short of transformative, enabling universal service in the most neglected corners of Vermont. It will create local jobs, valuable public infrastructure, and sustainably support first-class internet service into the future,” said Nicolas Anzalone, NEKCV Executive Committee Chair.

With BEAD funding, NEKCV is now on track to deploy more than 3,000 miles of fiber-optic cable by 2029, delivering long-term broadband access and significant economic, educational, healthcare, and civic benefits. In preparation for the project, NEKCV has maximized grant funding by investing directly in its district—hiring predominantly in-district employees and supporting a workforce development training program that creates jobs and strengthens the local economy. The network will be fully owned and controlled by NEKCV, a municipal communications union district, ensuring that any profits from this public investment will be reinvested in the district for the public good.

About The BEAD Program

The Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program is a $42.45 billion federal investment authorized by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) to expand high-speed internet access nationwide. BEAD requires recipients to build to every location that previously had service below 100 Mbps download and 20 Mbps upload and to finish the work within four years of the grant award. The program provides funding to all U.S. states, territories, and the District of Columbia to deploy or upgrade broadband infrastructure and ensure access to reliable, affordable, high-speed internet service. States were required to submit Initial and Final Proposals to NTIA describing how they will use BEAD funds to serve all eligible locations. More information can be found on the VCBB’s VT-BEAD webpage.

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NEK Community Broadband (doing business as NEKCV, NEK Broadband and CVFiber) is a communications union district (CUD) that is community-driven and working to ensure every resident across 72 towns in the Northeast and Central Vermont with utility service has access to high-speed internet with symmetrical speeds up to two gigabits per second. Affordable internet is central to creating greater economic prosperity and educational opportunities. The communications union district is committed to investing profits into the network, increasing affordability and supporting digital access and literacy. More info is available on the NEKCV website.

Press Materials