Virginia Telecommunication Initiative and Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program: 2025 Report
Summary
Annual Report for Virginia Telecommunication Initiative and Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program Funded Projects, required by Chapter 822 of the 2024 Acts of Assembly and submitted by the Department of Housing and Community Development in November 2025. It states that DHCD anticipates approval of the state's BEAD Final Proposal in Winter 2025, with projects beginning in Fall 2026 for the 133,000 approved passings. VATI FY22, FY23, and FY24 projects will provide access to 320,402 passings, and projects have provided broadband access to 155,907 locations to date. Of the 55 active VATI projects, 34 have requested and received timeline extensions, and DHCD identifies 11 FY22 projects as "High Risk".
Summary drafted by a model from the document's text below and checked by script against that text before publication. It is a navigation aid, not a reading of what the document proves. Where AI is used
Cite this document
“Virginia Telecommunication Initiative and Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program: 2025 Report.”
Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/2026-rd309-1dee96fdc3/
, SHA-256 cb02002cddd8610c078870aefd58245d1cd2d402bd5ad84a1a1ae061e0daead4.Full text
Annual Report for Virginia
Telecommunication Initiative and Broadband
Equity, Access, and Deployment Program
Funded Projects
Required by Chapter 822 of the 2024 Acts of
Assembly (HB800)
2025 Report
Submitted by:
The Department of Housing and Community Development
November 2025
Executive Summary
Virginia funds broadband deployment within the Commonwealth through several programs.
The largest and main program is the Virginia Telecommunication Initiative (VATI). The upcoming
Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program (BEAD) will finish the job of attaining universal
connectivity in the Commonwealth. The Virginia Department of Housing and Community
Development (DHCD) anticipates approval of the state’s BEAD Final Proposal in Winter 2025, with
projects beginning in Fall 2026 for the 133,000 approved passings.
VATI provides grants to localities partnered with internet service providers to finance the
deployment of high-speed broadband to locations (called a “passing”) within the Commonwealth
that are determined to be “unserved.” Passings are places where the internet can be accessed – thus
it could be a business, community anchor, a home, or an apartment complex. A passing is
unserved1 if it lacks access to internet speeds of 100 Megabits per second (Mbps) download and
20 Megabits (Mbps) upload (“100/20”). BEAD has a similar eligibility structure, with locations
lacking 100/20 eligible for funding under the program.
This report is required by statute and has been prepared by the Office of Broadband located
within DHCD. This report tracks the technical performance of the VATI internet service provider partners
in their work to deploy broadband. This report adheres to the factors that the General Assembly
directed to be tracked and presents them in the manner directed by the General Assembly.
Below are the key takeaways from the report. Only open projects are listed in the summary
tables provided at the end of this report. Completed projects are not listed in these tables; however,
their total figures are listed in the summary bullets below.
● Total passings: VATI FY22, FY23, and FY24 projects will provide access to
broadband infrastructure to 320,402 passings across Virginia.
● Leveraged local and private funding: In addition to $822.8 million in state and federal
funding awarded, FY22, FY23, and FY24 projects leverage a total of $1.198 billion in
private and local match funding. To-date, $393.8 million of these awarded funds and
$599.6 million of these matching funds have been expended.
● Locations Built-To: To date, projects have provided broadband access to 155,907
locations.
● Maximum Speeds Available: Over 93.4% of projects funded in FY22, FY23, and FY24
offer functionally gigabit (1,000 Mbps) download speeds, and over 73.7% offer
functionally gigabit upload speeds.
In conclusion, 21 out of the 55 open projects funded from the American Rescue Plan Act of
2021 (ARPA) and General Funds from FY22, FY23, and FY24 are scheduled to be completed on
time as of this report’s submission. DHCD identifies 11 FY22 projects as “High Risk”. Justification
for these delays include the make-ready effort, which includes preparing existing electric poles for
aerial broadband network construction, as well as supply chain and labor markets, streamlining
utility locate efforts, railroad crossings, the permitting process to lay fiber in state-owned rights of
way along roads, and permitting to cross federally owned lands. Looking forward, DHCD will
1
In the FY22 VATI process, the definition of unserved was set at 25/3. This definition of unserved has been upgraded to those
passings lacking access to broadband at speeds of 100/20 for the FY23 VATI process.
continue its ongoing work to monitor these projects, assisting where appropriate in mitigating these
broadband deployment challenges.
Formal Report
Pursuant to Chapter 822 of the Virginia Acts of Assembly of Session 2024, enclosed is
the Annual Report of the Virginia Telecommunication Initiative (VATI) and the federal
Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program in the Commonwealth.
Chapter 822 of the 2024 Acts of Assembly Session requires that DHCD deliver an annual
report on funds awarded through the Virginia Telecommunication Initiative (VATI) and the
federal Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program in the Commonwealth.
Administered by the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development
(DHCD), VATI enhances the sustainability and growth of communities throughout the
Commonwealth by preparing those communities to build, utilize, and capitalize on broadband
infrastructure. The primary objective of VATI is to provide financial assistance to supplement
construction costs by private sector broadband service providers to extend service to areas that
presently are unserved by any broadband provider. This program requires a public-private
partnership. The BEAD Final Proposal is currently under review. DHCD expects projects to
begin in mid-2026.
The directive to form this quarterly performance report establishes that:
2. That in administrating the Virginia Telecommunication Initiative (VATI) and the
federal Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program in the
Commonwealth, the Department of Housing and Community Development is directed
to submit annually on or before December 1 of 2024 through 2028 a report to the
Governor, the General Assembly, and the State Corporation Commission on the
progress of broadband expansion projects across the Commonwealth funded through
VATI and BEAD. Such report shall assess (i) the fiber mileage constructed, (ii) the
locations passed, (iii) the timelines for remaining contracted projects, (iv) the amount
of grant funding expended, and (v) the number of projects extended and the rationale
for such extensions.
Project information displayed in this report reflects monthly project report data from as
of the end of August 2025.
Regarding extended projects, out of the 55 active VATI projects funded in FY22, FY23,
and FY24, 34 have requested and received timeline extensions from their original project
timeline. DHCD staff continue to closely monitor the impact of challenges impacting project
timelines. Deployment challenges which are being monitored by DHCD include supply chain
and labor markets, streamlining utility locate efforts, railroad crossings, the permitting process
to lay fiber in state-owned rights of way along roads, and permitting to access federally owned
lands. DHCD and its local and regional government and internet service provider partners are
continuing to develop innovative solutions to address these challenges and deliver high-speed
broadband access as quickly as possible for residents in the impacted project areas.
The project summaries included in this report are updated quarterly on the VATI Project
Dashboard, accessible through dhcd.virginia.gov/vati.
Annual Report for Virginia Telecommunication Initiative and Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program Funded Projects – FY2022 Projects
Award Funding
Source - (GF,
General Fund
)(SLFRF,
Coronavirus State Reason for a
and Local Fiscal Project’s
Total Passings Percent Complete Recovery Fund Percent Delay (MR,
Provided Passings Provided Miles of Fiber )(CPF, Coronavirus Expended, Out of SCL, UL, RR,
Internet Service Passings in Broadband Access Broadband Access Complete to Date Agreement Start Agreement End Capital Projects Awarded Funding Total Awarded ROW, FED,
Grantee Provider Partner Project Area to Date to Date Date Date Award Amount Fund) Expended Funding Risk OTH, None)
539.12
Bedford ZiTEL 5,593 99% 06/15/2022 7/1/2025 $11,480,664.98 GF & SLFRF $11,084,989.42 96.55% Low Risk MR
5,644
320.37 MR, UL, RR,
Bedford Shentel 3,232 101% 09/09/2022 9/21/2025 $6,191,796.33 GF & SLFRF $4,497,826.14 72.64% Low Risk
3,204 ROW, FED
269.73
Botetourt Lumos Networks 1,901 100% 11/01/2022 9/30/2025 $3,084,796 CPF $2,685,883.90 87.068% Low Risk MR
1,901
334.84
Campbell Shentel 3,132 89% 09/21/2022 9/21/2025 $6,443,000 GF & SLFRF $3,593,421.79 55.77% Low Risk MR, UL
3,509
Central Shenandoah 74.53
MR, ROW, FED,
Planning District MGW/ Rob Huff 1,118 45% 6/1/2022 12/1/2025 $7,876,800 SLFRF $4,357,020.63 55.31% Low Risk
2,470 OTH
Commission
735.9
Commonwealth RC Kinex 7,359 65% 06/14/2022 6/14/2026 $15,000,000 GF $11,373,545.98 76% High Risk UL, SCL
11,397
Cumberland 350.93
Point Broadband 5,113 90% 09/06/2022 9/6/2025 $23,478,429 CPF $14,135,023.55 60% Low Risk MR
Plateau PDC 5,659
Eastern Shore of 317.01
OTH- customer
Virginia Broadband ESVBA 9,381 85% 6/1/2022 11/30/2024 $12,310,777.25 SLFRF $8,236,666.46 67% Low Risk
11,091 installs
Authority
453.83
Franklin Shentel 3,505 100% 10/17/2022 10/17/2025 $11,832,456 GF & SLFRF $4,448,444.13 37.6% Low Risk MR, UL, RR
3,508
Hampton Roads Charter 319.22
9,781 88% 07/08/2022 6/30/2026 $21,120,053.50 SLFRF $9,113,309.34 43.15% High Risk ROW
PDC Communications 11,114
All Points 308.19
Hanover 1,363 22% 8/1/2022 12/31/2025 $13,970,000 SLFRF $3,631,562.45 26% Low Risk MR
Broadband 6,198
All Points 182.5
King William 2,236 100% 8/3/2022 3/31/2025 $5,400,000 SLFRF $4,859,999.93 42% Low Risk MR
Broadband 2,236
Scott County 501
LENOWISCO PDC Telephone 6,671 61% 06/13/2022 12/13/2025 $22,190,500 SLFRF & CPF $13,103,095.52 59.05% Low Risk MR, RR
10,982
Cooperative
All Points 213
Loudoun County 249 3% 7/1/2022 10/31/2025 $17,524,000 SLFRF $4,003,000.96 22.84% Low Risk MR
Broadband 8,629
All Points 107
Middlesex County 970 100% 7/22/2022 7/31/2025 $2,050,000 SLFRF $1,845,000 90% Low Risk MR
Broadband 970
1652.5
Mount Rogers PDC Point Broadband 26,390 96% 06/01/2022 11/30/2025 $66,203,228 CPF $53,562,446.46 81% Low Risk MR
27,551
New River Valley 656.17
Regional Gigabeam 745 6% 03/13/2023 3/13/2026 $39,233,355 CPF $15,316,750.29 39.04% High Risk RR
12,094
Commission
New River Valley -
All Points
Regional 0 0% 12/06/2022 12/31/2025 $29,122,000 CPF $5,913,400.39 20.31% Low Risk MR
Broadband 7,872
Commission
Northern Neck 273
All Points
Planning District 3,411 100% 9/22/2022 3/31/2025 $3,190,500 SLFRF $2,871,450 90% Low Risk MR
Broadband 3,411
Commission
Northern 455
Shenandoah Valley All Points
193 1% 7/22/2022 6/30/2026 $96,873,500 SLFRF $23,899,464.28 25% High Risk MR
Regional Broadband 32,238
Commission
- SCL, OTH-land
Roanoke B2X 45 9% 09/22/2022 10/25/2025 $170,609 GF $35,295.43 20.69% Low Risk
520 use agreement
31.09
Roanoke Cox 250 63% 9/1/2022 10/15/2025 $1,535,264 SLFRF $0 0% Low Risk FED
396
-
Roanoke Comcast 0 0% 6/13/2025 3/31/2026 $490,000 SLFRF $141,360 28.85% High Risk OTH-rescoped
48
Shenandoah County 471.74
Shentel 4,102 99% 8/1/2022 12/31/2025 $12,176,662 SLFRF $9,037,715.98 74.22% Low Risk MR, UL
Public Schools 4,139
1116.48 OTH: Dominion
EMPOWER mainline
Southside PDC 9,084 62% 07/22/2022 6/22/2026 $69,431,635 SLFRF $44,666,488.15 64.33% High Risk
Broadband 14,634 behind
schedule.
179.89
Sussex RuralBand 2,267 100% 06/13/2022 12/13/2025 $4,896,892 SLFRF $4,097,081.35 84% Low Risk None
2,267
Thomas Jefferson 2668.00
Firefly Broadband 24,162 67% 08/15/2022 6/30/2026 $79,027,930 SLFRF $61,225,456.03 77.47% High Risk MR, RR, ROW
PDC 36,225
West Piedmont PDC 56.75
RuralBand 275 66% 07/03/2022 12/31/2026 $638,718 SLFRF $479,418.08 75.06% High Risk None
- Dinwiddie 417
West Piedmont PDC RiverStreet 53.14
0 0% 06/20/2022 6/30/2026 $6,893,337 SLFRF $632,727.12 9.18% High Risk RR, ROW
- Dinwiddie Networks 5,009
West Piedmont PDC RiverStreet 1042.11
8,167 33% 08/03/2022 6/30/2026 $87,003,888 SLFRF $35,361,713.48 40.64% High Risk RR, ROW
(East) Networks 24,641
West Piedmont PDC RiverStreet 159.5
31 0% 09/30/2022 2/24/2026 $33,571,073 CPF $1,646,415.95 5% High Risk FED, MR, RR
(West) Networks 10,056
West Piedmont Charter 125.85
677 98% 08/01/2022 8/1/2025 $1,557,385 CPF $1,070,564.58 68.74% Not at Risk None
PDC Communications 690
*Data as of September 2025 Monthly Project Reports, which reflect project statistics through the end of August.
Abbreviations for Reasons for Project’s Delay: MR – Make Ready, SCL – Supply Chain and Labor, UL – Utility Locates, RR – Railroad, ROW – Right of Way Permitting along State Roads, FED – Federal Land Permitting Challenges, OTH – Other (Described)
Annual Report for Virginia Telecommunication Initiative and Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program Funded Projects – FY2023 Projects
Award
Funding
Source -
(GF, General
Fund
)(SLFRF,
Coronavirus
State and
Percent Local Fiscal
Total Complete Recovery Reason for a
Passings Passings Fund )(CPF, Percent Project’s
Internet Provided Provided Miles of Coronavirus Expended, Delay (MR,
Service Broadband Broadband Fiber Capital Awarded Out of Total SCL, UL, RR,
Provider Passings in Access to Access to Complete to Agreement Award Projects Funding Awarded ROW, FED,
Grantee Partner Project Area Date Date Date Start Date Agreement End Date Amount Fund) Expended Funding Risk OTH, None)
78.06 $1,373,161.
Bedford Shentel 559 99% 4/1/2024 9/1/2025 GF $416,862.28 30.36% Not at Risk None
565 74
Caroline 89.86 $1,606,282.
Breezeline 300 8% 10/23/2024 10/23/2026 $6,446,000 GF 25% Not at Risk MR
County 3,910 28
Caroline 61.88 $1,743,577.
Verizon 815 95% 10/23/2024 5/23/2025 $2,032,334 GF 86% Not at Risk None
County 854 73
Chesterfiel All Points - $1,063,548.
0 0% 12/1/2023 11/30/2026 $8,753,009 GF 12% Not at Risk None
d County Broadband 494 93
Essex 102.30 $1,063,548.
Breezeline 700 20% 09/06/2023 9/6/2026 $8,753,009 GF 12% Not at Risk MR
County 3,526 93
Floyd 77.28 $1,205,448. OTH -
Citizens 666 100% 05/30/2023 8/18/2025 $1,339,387 GF 90% Low Risk
County 666 30 rescoped
Henrico All Points -
0 0% 12/1/2023 11/30/2025 $501,620 GF $0 0% Not at Risk None
County Broadband 412
Orange 65.55 $2,155,031.
FiberLync 467 81% 10/31/2023 6/5/2025 $2,181,000 GF 99% Low Risk ROW
County 576 68
Shenandoa 117.56
h County $2,441,509.
Shentel 2,115 87% 9/26/2023 12/31/2025 $4,936,968 GF 49.45% Low Risk MR
Public 2,440 83
Schools
Southside EMPOWER 155.88 $8,556,028.
1,512 31% 9/26/2023 9/26/2026 GF $500,548.12 5.85% Not at Risk None
PDC Broadband 4,804 84
West 141.6
RiverStreet $4,932,239.
Piedmont 1,082 32% 11/6/2023 11/6/2026 $8,155,864 GF 60.47% Not at Risk None
Networks 3,356 51
PDC (East)
West 78.8
Piedmont
RiverStreet $2,690,376.
PDC 824 39% 10/5/2023 10/5/2026 $3,548,250 GF 75.82% Not at Risk None
Networks 2,102 43
(Pittsylvani
a)
West RiverStreet 0.1
7 0% 2/28/2024 2/28/2026 $8,013,600 GF $53,970.90 0.67% Not at Risk None
Piedmont Networks 4,526
PDC
(West)
*Data as of September 2025 Monthly Project Reports, which reflect project statistics through the end of
August.
Abbreviations for Reasons for Project’s Delay: MR – Make Ready, SCL – Supply Chain and Labor, UL – Utility Locates, RR – Railroad, ROW – Right of Way Permitting along State Roads, FED – Federal Land Permitting Challenges, OTH – Other (Described)
Annual Report for Virginia Telecommunication Initiative and Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program Funded Projects – FY2024 Projects
Award Funding
Source - (GF,
General Fund
)(SLFRF,
Coronavirus
Percent State and Local Reason for a
Complete Fiscal Recovery Percent Project’s
Total Passings Passings Fund )(CPF, Expended, Out Delay (MR,
Provided Provided Miles of Fiber Coronavirus of Total SCL, UL, RR,
Internet Service Passings in Broadband Broadband Complete to Agreement Start Agreement End Capital Projects Awarded Funding Awarded ROW, FED,
Grantee Provider Partner Project Area Access to Date Access to Date Date Date Date Award Amount Fund) Expended Funding Risk OTH, None)
Thomas 5.11
Firefly 126 2% 11/1/2024 12/31/2026 $12,208,500 GF $57,130 0.47% Not at Risk None
Jefferson PDC 5,825
97.04
Southside PDC Empower 1,568 42% 11/13/2024 6/30/2027 $3,353,579 GF $43,000 1.28% Not at Risk None
3,757
-
Giles County PemTel 0 0% 1/21/2025 1/21/2027 $4,199,596 GF $106,773.51 2.54% Not at Risk None
629
17.94
Franklin County ZiTEL 0 0% 1/21/2025 1/21/2026 $4,538,288 GF $1,774,149.90 39% Not at Risk None
2,543
-
Carroll County ZiTEL 0 0% 7/10/2025 7/10/2027 $10,347,072 GF $0 0% Not at Risk None
2,214
-
Rockbridge BARC BARC 0 0% 11/4/2024 11/4/2026 $1,197,320 GF $0 0% Not at Risk None
293
5
Rockbridge Brightspeed 21 1% 4/10/2025 5/7/2027 $975,865 GF $0 0% Not at Risk None
1,734
Alleghany -
CBEC 0 0% 11/21/2024 6/13/2026 $2,332,353 GF $393,638.83 16.88% Not at Risk None
County 370
12.04
Orange County FiberLync 144 26% 8/8/2024 8/8/2026 $2,138,416 GF $0 0% Not at Risk None
546
-
Botetourt Comcast 0 0% 12/12/2024 12/12/2026 $395,411 GF $0 0% Not at Risk None
62
*Data as of September 2025 Monthly Project Reports, which reflect project statistics through the end of August.
Abbreviations for Reasons for Project’s Delay: MR – Make Ready, SCL – Supply Chain and Labor, UL – Utility Locates, RR – Railroad, ROW – Right of Way Permitting along State Roads, FED – Federal Land Permitting Challenges, OTH – Other
(Described)
File and source
- File
- 2026-RD309.pdf
- Size
- 430,311 bytes
- SHA-256
- cb02002cddd8610c078870aefd58245d1cd2d402bd5ad84a1a1ae061e0daead4
- Our copy
- 2026-RD309.pdf
- Original
- No public link identified.