February 2021 Fiber Construction Update
EMPOWER continues diligently in building fiber assets across the service area and our high-speed fiber internet is now available to over 3,000 homes and businesses with nearly 1,000 of those locations taking advantage of this terrific service. We continue to connect subscribers daily with 99 percent of our 135-mile fiber backbone complete and serving homes and businesses in Brunswick, Charlotte, Greensville, Halifax, Mecklenburg, and Pittsylvania Counties. Additionally, we are working on additional areas through the benefit of VATI (Virginia Telecommunication Initiative) grants and USDA ReConnect loans and grants. CARES (Coronavirus Relief Funding) work continues as crews install fiber and we continue to accept applications.
To expedite our overall deployment, we have added line designers, overhead construction crews, underground construction crews, and fiber splicing teams. Our engineering team and consultants have completed the design to serve the Incumbent Local Exchange Carrier (ILEC), formerly served by Buggs Island Telephone Cooperative. Our accounting team is preparing the final loan documents for submittal to USDA.
Service is available to many homes and businesses across our system. To make sure your location is now eligible, please go to our website, www.empowermec.net and click the box under “Check Availability And Register Your Interest”. Our registration process will guide you through completing an application if service is currently available or it will register your interest for a future build.
Please note, that our schedule is subject to adjustment as it may be impacted by inclement weather and the availability of materials. Following is an updated table summarizing all current and near-term construction projects.
You will notice the availability date is shown in a year and quarter format. For example, 2021-Q3 indicates installation is scheduled to begin during the third quarter of 2021 between the months of July, August, and September.
Q1- January, February, March
Q2 – April, May, June
Q3 – July, August, September
Q4 – October, November, December
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Area Description |
Status |
Completion / Availability Date |
|
Brunswick County |
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Highway 903 Poplar Creek to Ebony |
Complete |
Service Available, Accepting Applications |
|
Ebony to Gasburg, Robinson Ferry Road and Gasburg Road |
Complete |
Service Available, Accepting Applications |
|
Gasburg to Highway 46, Ankum Road |
Complete |
Service Available, Accepting Applications |
|
Highway 46 from Ankum Road to James Square Church |
Complete |
Service Available, Accepting Applications |
|
Highway 46 from Ankum Road to Valentines |
Complete |
Service Available, Accepting Applications |
|
Valentines, Manning Drive to Triplet Road at County Line |
Complete |
Service Available, Accepting Applications |
|
CAFII Project - Fiber expansion from DD Mart, east and west along Highway 611. Includes Bright Rd, Penn Rd, Clark Rd, Dillard Rd and Connell Rd |
Mainline Fiber Complete |
2021-Q3 |
|
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|
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CARES - Highway 46 from Rock UMC to Meherrin River |
Staking Complete, Mainline Fiber Installation Pending |
2021-Q3, |
|
Marina Area Project - Herman Road, Lucky Lane, Poplar Creek Road, Piney Point Circle, and Waterview Court |
Complete |
Service Available, Accepting Applications |
|
Delbridge Estates, Brunswick Estates, Clyde’s Retreat |
Staked, Accepting Applications |
2021-Q4 |
|
Highway 46 to Colony Club |
Staked, Accepting Applications |
2021-Q4 |
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Charlotte County |
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Barnes Road, Highway 92 to Highway 360 |
Complete |
Service Available, Accepting Applications |
|
Barnes Junction, Highway 15 to Red Oak Excavating |
Fiber Deployed, Splicing Required followed by drop installation |
2021-Q3 |
|
Barnes Junction, Highway 15 to Bacon District Fire Department |
Fiber Deployed, Accepting Applications |
Service Available, Accepting Applications |
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Greensville County |
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Brink Store down Pine Log Road to Brink Substation |
Complete |
Service Available, Accepting Applications |
|
Barley Road to Brink Road to Brink School |
Complete |
Service Available, Accepting Applications |
|
Rockbridge Road to Highway 301 |
Complete |
Service Available, Accepting Applications |
|
Highway 301 to Emporia Substation at Belding Hausman |
Complete |
Service Available, Accepting Applications |
|
Emporia Substation to 58 at Sadler’s Truck Plaza/95 Interchange to MEC Office on 58 |
Complete |
Service Available, Accepting Applications |
|
Sadler Truck Plaza to 301 North to Reese Street to County Industrial Park |
Complete |
Service Available, Accepting Applications |
|
CARES - Beef Road, Substation down Pine Log Road |
Design complete, Staking underway |
2021-Q4 |
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Halifax County |
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Clays Mill to Crystal Hill |
Complete |
Service Available, Accepting Applications |
|
Crystal Hill to Highway 501 |
Complete |
Service Available, Accepting Applications |
|
Highway 501 from Cedar Fork Road to Bradley Creek Road |
Complete |
Service Available, Accepting Applications |
|
Leda Grove Road, Pumping Hill, and Old Concord Road |
Complete |
Service Available, Accepting Applications |
|
Cody Road, Highway 40 to County Line |
Complete |
Service Available, Accepting Applications |
|
CARES Project Bethel Road to Clays Mill |
Fiber Deployment underway, Installing Drops, Accepting Applications |
2021-Q3 |
|
EMPOWER CARES - Alchie Lane |
Construction underway |
2021-Q3 |
|
EMPOWER CARES - Sydnor Jennings 501 |
Complete |
Service Available, Accepting Applications |
|
Highway 40, Bull Creek Road, Rock Barn Road - VATI Project |
Mainline Fiber complete, Installing Drops, Accepting Applications |
2021-Q3 |
|
Lower Liberty Road and Liberty Road - VATI Project |
Fiber Deployment underway, Installing Drops, Accepting Applications |
2021-Q3 |
|
Chatham Road, Leda Road, Meadville Road, and Asbury Church Road - VATI Project |
Fiber Deployment underway, Installing Drops |
2021-Q3 |
|
Highway 58 from Omega to Aarons Creek Road, Hitesburg Church Road - VATI Project |
Fiber Deployment underway, Accepting Applications |
2021-Q3 |
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|
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|
Mecklenburg County |
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|
MEC Office to High House Road |
Complete |
Service Available, Accepting Applications |
|
Highway 58 from Baskerville Road to Big Fork |
Complete |
Service Available, Accepting Applications |
|
Route 1, Big Fork to Red Lawn Road |
Complete |
Service Available, Accepting Applications |
|
Highway 903 from Beechwood Substation to Poplar Creek |
Complete |
Service Available, Accepting Applications |
|
Great Creek and Nellie Jones East |
Complete |
Service Available, Accepting Applications |
|
Holly Grove |
Complete |
Service Available, Accepting Applications |
|
Wooden Bridge Road |
Complete |
Service Available, Accepting Applications |
|
Joyceville |
Complete |
Service Available, Accepting Applications |
|
Siouan Road, Barker Road, Siouan Shores |
Complete |
Service Available, Accepting Applications |
|
Morristown Road and Morristown |
Complete |
Service Available, Accepting Applications |
|
Grover Baird Estates |
Complete |
Service Available, Accepting Applications |
|
Long Branch Subdivision |
Complete |
Service Available, Accepting Applications |
|
Starboard Drive and Portside |
Complete |
Service Available, Accepting Applications |
|
Fox Run |
Complete |
Service Available, Accepting Applications |
|
CARES - Highway 58 from Baskerville Road to Regional Jail |
Mainline fiber installed. Complete? |
Service Available, Accepting Applications |
|
CARES - Marengo Road and Reed Road |
Mainline Fiber construction complete with Drop construction and splicing underway. Accepting Applications |
2021-Q3 |
|
CARES - Nellie Jones Road |
Complete |
Service Available, Accepting Applications |
|
Trottingridge Road, Country Way, Highway 49 to Jones Store Substation |
Mainline fiber installation with Kennedy Road, Lawson Road, Godsey Lane, Gator’s to Substation construction underway |
Service Available, Accepting Applications |
|
Allgood Road, Lawson Rd |
Make Ready (Pole Replacement and related line work) Work in Progress |
2021-Q3 |
|
Highway 58, Busy Bee Road to Northview Substation |
Complete |
Service Available, Accepting Applications |
|
CARES - Hall Road and Blackridge Road |
Complete |
Service Available, Accepting Applications |
|
Northview Substation, Miles Creek Road, Highway 47 |
Fiber Installed, To be feed from Lone Oak Road, Connecting fiber under construction, Accepting Applications |
2021-Q3 |
|
Highway 58, Old Cox Road, Lone Oak Road to Highway 47 |
Fiber installation underway, Accepting Applications |
2021-Q3 |
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CARES - Old Cox Road, Easters Rd, Stoney Cross, Allgoods Ln |
Fiber deployment underway |
2021-Q3 |
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Pittsylvania County |
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County Line along Highway 40 to Mt. Airy |
Complete |
Service Available, Accepting Applications |
|
Mount Airy to Grit, Renan Road and Wards Road |
Fiber Installed, Splicing Pending, Accepting Applications |
2021-Q3 |
|
Gretna Substation to Office |
Railroad Crossing Complete, Mainline Fiber Installed, Splicing pending |
2021-Q3 |
As a reminder for subscribers who sign up for service before construction passes their area, you’re eligible to receive a free $100 fiber installation if you subscribe to telephone and broadband or half off if you subscribe to fiber internet alone. The only requirement is that customers commit to a two-year contract for new fiber services. Please check availability to your specific address at empowermec.net.
We will continue to send updates on the status of our fiber construction. Hang in there while we bring you the best of the best… fiber! We appreciate your patience and support.
If you have any questions regarding projects, our crews, or anything related to EMPOWER’s services, please contact us at 1-833-RuralBB (1-833-787-2522), 434-636-2274, or by clicking the “Contact Us” button at www.empowermec.net/content/contact-us. You can always stay up to date with our progress by visiting www.empowermec.net or follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/EmpowerBroadbandInc.
