Loudoun Broadband Alliance (LBA) exists to promote development of accessible, reliable, and affordable broadband Internet access for everyone in Loudoun County. LBA achieves this vision through research, education, and community engagement.
Residents and businesses of rural Loudoun currently must resort to a combination of fixed and mobile wireless solutions for home Internet access. Wireless coverage in western Loudoun is not always accessible or reliable due to the topography of the county and an inadequate quantity of access points (towers). On average, home users in unserved areas of Loudoun County receive their Internet at less than 15Mbps, yet pay 2 to 3 times more than residents with access to fiber or cable Internet who receive service at up to 1Gbps.
LBA and the wider community has advocated and lobbied at all levels of government for improved home Internet access. As a result, on July 20, 2021, the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors committed to a public-private partnership to bring fiber-based Internet access to the approximately 8,800 unserved homes and businesses through its approval of an application for the Virginia Telecommunications Initiative (VATI) grant.
While this project is awaiting grant award and start of construction, the residents of western Loudoun will continue to rely heavily on the mobile (cellular) wireless network for home and business Internet access.
Like in-home broadband, mobile wireless is an essential part of life in Loudoun County, and mobile coverage needs to be improved in western Loudoun. At this time, several options are being presented to the community and local government to increase the number of mobile wireless access points. LBA believes that these projects will improve coverage and performance of mobile networks in isolated areas of the county, leading to improvements for nearby users that rely on the mobile network for broadband access. However, these projects do not represent a plan that assures improved in-home broadband Internet access county-wide.
LBA remains focused on advocating for and advancing initiatives which will have direct impact on residents and businesses affected including advancement of the VATI application which will deliver accessible, reliable, and affordable in-home broadband Internet access to unserved areas of Loudoun County.