Broadband project gets extra $1 million

Posted to: Business Eastern Shore
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By Carolyn Shapiro
The Virginian-Pilot
© December 5, 2009

The broadband project to provide high-speed Internet access on the Eastern Shore has received an additional $1 million in federal stimulus funds, Gov. Timothy M. Kaine announced.

The money is expected to create 20 jobs and is targeted toward development of a broadband network in Northampton County to connect the towns of Nassawadox, Exmore, Willis Wharf and Belle Haven.

It also will enhance medical services provided by Shore Memorial Hospital, Shore Cancer Center, Eastern Shore Rural Health, Eastern Shore Community Services Board and several physicians groups.

The Eastern Shore broadband project, which includes the construction of an Internet data backbone from Cape Charles to the Maryland line, was first considered an alternate project for the stimulus funds. The money, left over from portions of the first round of grants, comes through the Community Development Block Grant-Recovery program.

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Broadband.

Submitted by EyeSpy on Sat, 12/05/2009 at 12:59 pm.

Cox Cable stopped two miles from my home 15 years ago.

Cox Cable just ran all new cable in the same area - and stopped two miles from my home, despite several subdivisions now being here, and many single homes.

I pay 60 dollars a month for a five gig limit, Verizon serviced air card.

I hope both Cox, and Verizon go out of business.

I also hope every politician that made it possible for these companies to screw over the citizens of Virginia burn in HE-double-toothpicks.

I would think it's cheaper to lay cable to Virginia Beach

Submitted by glennf1 on Sat, 12/05/2009 at 12:07 pm.

instead of going all the way to the Maryland border. Also, it would be cheaper to bring the data backbone to the existing cable infrastructure than to run feeds to every cell site tower.

WiMax has a much larger

Submitted by Ethan on Sun, 12/06/2009 at 8:02 pm.

WiMax has a much larger range than typical cellular towers if you're going from a tower to customers that have fixed radio equipment.

The cost to cross the bridge or water might be prohibitive. Plus Hampton Roads has a very weak business bandwidth market, so perhaps there are better options in Maryland. You'd think they'd run it all the way through.