The Craig-Botetourt Rural Power Cooperative (CBEC), a Virginia utility company, deployed a fiber-to-the-home network to improve rural broadband throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia.

With the proliferation of remote work and online learning during the pandemic, household data usage has increased by 18%, and Internet connectivity has become critical. However, many underserved rural communities in the United States continue to struggle with broadband access for basic work, telemedicine, distance learning, and community services.

According to the Federal Communications Commission, approximately 25% of rural communities lack reliable broadband access. Although the FCC and other government and private organizations emphasize the need to narrow the digital divide, achieving this goal is easier said than done. Nevertheless, many utilities and municipalities have some necessary resources, such as installed customer bases and existing rights of passage, which require the establishment of high-speed broadband networks in small towns and rural communities (large Internet service areas) due to population The density is low, and the provider (ISP) most often ignores it.

For example, although Virginia is currently the 10th most connected state in the United States, at least 12% of the population lives in rural areas that still lack broadband access. The best hope for these residents to get faster connections is through local power cooperatives.

In a rural area in southwestern Virginia, the Craig-Botetourt Rural Power Cooperative (CBEC) has been providing reliable services to local communities for 85 years, providing electricity services to residents, small businesses, and family farms. CBEC also happens to be the smallest power cooperative in Virginia.

Spanning parts of seven counties, densely forested and mountainous—most of which are owned by state or federal forestry departments—CBEC's service area has an average population density of less than 6 households per mile. The lack of ISP service options means that many residents and businesses try to manage through DSL and dial-up connections with average download speeds of 3 Mbps or lower.

When CBEC recognized that its members needed basic high-speed Internet access, the utility company decided to deploy a new fiber-to-the-home (FTTP) broadband network. However, since there is no existing dark fiber network, the cooperative decided to need a partner to help its 25 employees build a brand new fiber network.

CBEC selected Fujitsu as its main broadband network and integration partner, responsible for network design and construction, multi-vendor equipment and software procurement, network and system integration, testing, and service activation. After Fujitsu developed a broadband deployment plan for the cooperative, the next step was for CBEC to establish a subsidiary to manage the Bee Online Advantage Internet service in accordance with the requirements of the Virginia Company Commission.

The deployment will start in February 2020, starting with the installation of the core fiber optic network, and plans to roll out FTTP in phases. CBEC has received support from the Bottur County government and applied for a grant from the Virginia Telecom Program (VATI), which aims to achieve broadband access in Virginia by 2024.

CBEC and Fujitsu selected Gigabit Passive Optical Network (GPON) technology for the new network and installed overhead all-dielectric self-supporting (ADSS) optical cables on CBEC's existing poles. Overhead optical fiber simplifies deployment, requiring only a small replacement of light poles. However, even under the best of circumstances, deploying broadband networks in rugged and mountainous terrain poses logistical challenges-and 2020 is unusually typical.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, as the needs of cooperative members for basic Internet access became more and more important, CBEC board members and the local county government quickly decided to expand the project beyond its original scope. In October 2020, the deployment scope was expanded and the deployment time frame was accelerated to meet the end of the year deadline to qualify for CARES bill funding.

To complete the second phase of network construction in less than eight weeks, project managers need to quickly mobilize resources and synchronize project elements. However, the chain reaction of the ongoing pandemic has further exacerbated the tight deployment schedule.

Greg Manganello, Senior Vice President and Head of Wireless and Service Solutions, Fujitsu Network Communications, said: “The pandemic has not only affected our global supply chain, but also affected the availability of resources for many of our partners. When customers choose Fujitsu, in addition to getting our In addition to digital transformation experts of, they also have access to our supply chain professionals. In this case, they work closely with our ecosystem partners to ensure the correct components, materials, and delivery time frame. Then, Our internal project manager will deliver in line with our resource plan to complete network deployment and integration within an accelerated time frame."

Despite the challenges of geographic and supply chain disruption, the first two phases of the new CBEC broadband network covering 53 miles will be completed by the end of 2020. The new FTTP service provides speeds of up to 300 Mbps through nearly 750 homes and small businesses. About 10 months after the service was launched, the cooperative’s subscription rate for Internet and digital IP voice services reached 42%, and the subsidiary has become self-sufficient.

CBEC CEO Jeff Ahearn said: "We achieved a great milestone in the first year. Providing improved broadband is the driving force for the future economic development of our community." "The main challenge is not us. The demographics of the region, but the economies of scale."

Fujitsu works closely with CBEC to help train CBEC's technical support staff to manage and troubleshoot fiber optic network failures, and establish new users before completely handing over network management to CBEC. In one example, a CBEC technician obtained practical learning by following several Fujitsu engineers to investigate and repair some initial problems on the site.

"We are facing very tight deadlines to complete the network and attract subscribers, but once we overcome the pain of growth, it becomes second nature," Ahern said. "We were able to cross-train existing employees, and now we are satisfied with the current process."

Since opening the network, CBEC has learned about the impact of broadband connections on its communities from several cooperating members. For example, a homeowner who originally planned to sell now chooses to keep broadband service.

A teacher who tried to teach at home during the pandemic found that due to latency issues and unstable connections, it was almost impossible to post assignments and conduct online courses on virtual video and audio platforms. In fact, before accessing broadband at home, she had to go to school to go online.

“We have received comments from many small business owners who were unable to conduct business until they received our services,” Ahearn commented. "We also learned from real estate agents that there is a huge potential for future commercial and residential development in the area, which did not exist before."

"High-speed broadband services have changed the trajectory of the community's economic prosperity," Manganello said. "CBEC members can now go online; work, study, and shop remotely; and enjoy the benefits of the digital economy equally while staying at home."

Based on the improvements provided to the community so far, CBEC looks forward to planning and implementing the third phase of its broadband network to cover nearly 20% of its service area. However, even now, the smallest cooperative in Virginia has had a major impact.

Anthony Bednarczyk is the head of broadband business at Fujitsu Network Communications.

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