4,100 more homes, businesses to get multi-gig fiber internet
RUTLAND—Otter Creek Communications Union District (CUD) was awarded a $9.9 million grant from the Vermont Community Broadband Board on Oct. 11. The grant will help fund construction of a multi-gigabit fiber network through a partnership with Consolidated Communications. By 2025, when complete, more than 4,100 homes and businesses will have access to fiber internet.
“We’re excited to work collaboratively with Consolidated to bring future-proof internet to the 18 communities within our CUD,” said Laura Black, chair of Otter Creek CUD. “This funding will put us well on our way to meeting the goal of universal service in the Rutland region, bringing all the opportunities that come with reliable, high-speed internet. The Otter Creek CUD board is proud to be on the way to bringing the broadband infrastructure this community needs to participate in the global economy.”
The grant, along with a significant investment from Consolidated, will bring fiber-to-the-premise to 85% of homes and businesses in the Otter Creek CUD area. This includes more than 2,300 homes that are currently unserved by any broadband solution. Consolidated and Otter Creek CUD will continue to seek funding opportunities to deliver broadband to the remaining CUD area not included in this phase of the partnership.
“We are thrilled to work with Otter Creek CUD and bring Fidium fiber to even more Vermont communities,” said Sarah Davis, vice president of Government Affairs for Consolidated. “We’ve seen firsthand how better internet brings new opportunities to small towns. We are all excited for the residents of Otter Creek CUD to benefit from new economic, employment, educational, health and entertainment benefits that accompany fiber internet.”
Consolidated recently completed construction of the fiber network that made the Southern Vermont CUD the first in the state to reach universal service. The Company has also built fiber to more than 110,000 Vermont homes and businesses since 2021.
Otter Creek CUD is a public entity (municipality) formed of multiple towns and one city in the Rutland Region of Vermont. The member municipalities consist of Benson, Brandon, Castleton, Chittenden, Fair Haven, Goshen, Hubbardton, Mendon, Pawlet, Pittsford, Poultney, Rutland Town, Rutland City, Shrewsbury, Sudbury, Wells, West Haven, and West Rutland.
Otter Creek CUD is an all-volunteer, not-for-profit municipal corporation whose mission is to bring access to high-speed affordable broadband to the constituents of the CUD.
