We're getting ready to identify our next neighborhoods for Gigabit fiber expansion. If you live in Blacksburg or Christiansburg, fill out the survey (the link is on the home page) and let us know. Tell your neighbors, too--we are looking for neighborhoods with a high interest in getting connected.

Our first two neighborhoods are now online with super-fast fiber connections. Residents are paying $69.95/month for a Gigabit fiber connection and a 1000 Meg down/1000 Meg up Internet service. We are now going to be looking for more neighborhoods in Blacksburg to bring the world's best Internet service. Follow the link on our home page to fill out the "I want fiber" interest form. We'll be bringing fiber to the neighborhoods with the highest response rate to our form, so tell your neighbors to fill out the form too. The next two neighborhoods will be launched in Late Summer of 2020.

If you live in Haymarket Square and would like to have faster, better Internet, fill out our survey (see the link on our home page) and let us know--we just added your neighborhood.

We are completing the final equipment configuration on the network in our first two Blacksburg area neighborhoods today, and expect to start connecting customers with super-fast Internet in the next couple of days.

What comes next?

We will be using data from our survey (have you filled it out to let us know you want Gig fiber?) to identify where to build next.

The picture below shows the first fiber to the home cabinet in the New River Valley.

One of the most common questions we get is, "Why do I want fiber?"

We've created a one page handout that may help answer that question. You can download it by clicking on the PDF icon.

Here is some of the reasons you want fiber:

• Work from home--full time, part time, or nights/weekends. We give you the freedom to choose!
• Run a business from home, or run a server from home.
• Connect more TVs, laptops, computers, tablets, printers, and servers and have them all work at the speed of light!
• Use all the bandwidth you want without worrying about slowdowns, overage charges, or data caps.
• Watch TV, movies, sports,and video at the highest possible quality--a better entertainment experience!
• Put home security cameras around your house and get notifications, live HD video, and sound right on your tablet or smartphone, wherever you are.
• Connect to the Virginia Tech network or your company VPN as if you were sitting in your office at work.
• Make full use of cloud services at blazing fast speed.
• Seamlessly connect multiple business locations and offices.
• Home-based employees can fully participate because videoconferencing works like it is supposed to with no stuttering, drop outs, or screen slowdowns.
• Get an inexpensive home phone line that actually provides a high quality connection without annoying drops.
• Fiber makes back up services like Carbonite, Amazon, and Mozy work the way they are supposed to with no waiting.

Click here to download a handout explaining the strengths of fiber.

http://www.wideopenblacksburg.net/sites/default/files/Blacksburg_why_fiber_v3.pdf