LANCASTER COUNTY BROADBAND AUTHORITY

The Board of Supervisors of the Lancaster County authorized the creation of the Lancaster County Broadband Authority (LCBA) on July 26, 2018, and submitted Articles of Incorporation to the State Corporation Commission, which issued a Certificate of Incorporation to the LCBA, effective October 22, 2018.   The Purpose of the LCBA is to provide qualifying communications services including but not limited to, affordable and reliable broadband internet access, to all citizens of Lancaster County.  Although, the County currently is underserved by its incumbent communications utilities, recent federal and state funding will make it possible for all residents and businesses in the County to receive broadband services that meet the FCC’s minimum specification of 25 Mb/s download and 3 Mb/s upload speeds or better. The recent VATI, CARES Act, RDOF, and Virginia Electric broadband Pilot Programs will provide substantial funding to ensure  all unserved Lancaster residents and business can expect to receive broadband services that meet the specified minimum bandwidth speeds from  fiber to the home or premises.
 
In light of the unprecedented federal and state funding that is being made available and continues in the near future, the LCBA has shifted its business plan from LCBA owned and operated system to a private-public partnership model.

The LCBA’s goals are to:
 

• Work with our grant partners to ensure that all residents and businesses in the County have access to broadband that meets or exceed the FCC’s minimum broadband specifications; 

• Work with incumbent and new service providers to offer wide availability of advanced services and promote competition; 

• Work with incumbent and new service providers to ensure that Lancaster County has the latest and best technologies which will offer a minimum of gigabit internet speeds. The LCBA shall endeavor for an all fiber optic solution to meet this requirement. 

• Work with local economic development organizations to attract high tech businesses and data centers and expand opportunities for local businesses;

• Work with healthcare facilities to help develop and implement broadband access to telemedicine applications;

• Provide improved governmental and emergency services response and delivery

• Pursue opportunities that ensure the service the citizens receive is affordable and reliable.