CARES Act funding to help bring fiber internet to rural communities

ALBEMARLE COUNTY, Va. (WVIR) - Firefly Fiber Broadband, a subsidiary of Central Virginia Electric Cooperative, is expanding internet access to rural communities through a series of projects funded by the CARES Act.

The group will be laying several miles of fiber optic cables in Albemarle, Fluvanna, Louisa and Nelson counties to provide faster and more reliable internet.

Firefly will also set up several free WiFi hot-spots in those counties for anyone to use.

“When subscribers sign up, we’ll run a fiber optic cable right up to their home and we’ll go all the way to the inside to provide a router where they’ll have a very high-speed reliable connection from Firefly Fiber Broadband, should they choose the service," Firefly President and CEO Gary Wood said.

Those who want the fiber service will need to subscribe to Firefly. The broadband projects are expected to be completed by the end of this year.