NTelos, a leading provider of wireless and wireline communications services in Virginia and West Virginia, has announced that it will be able to accept a $16 million federal broadband stimulus award to bring much needed broadband services and infrastructure to unserved and underserved households, businesses and community facilities in the Alleghany Highlands.

The award which requires nTelos to match the $8 million federal grant, enables nTelos to build a "future proof" fiber optic network to serve the needs of the Alleghany Highlands.

"The Alleghany Now Broadband Initiative will bring high speed fiber optics directly to 4,000 plus homes and approximately 233 businesses and 36 community anchor institutions, public safety entities and critical community organizations" said Frank Berry, President of nTelos Wireline.

Long term benefits that will accrue through nTelos' Alleghany Broadband Now Initiative include: enabling home-based jobs for disbaled or disadvantaged citizens who may be limited in their ability to leave their homes; enabling home-based jb training to help workers learn new occupations; fostering job-creating economic development by attracting new businesses and employees that require access to robust broadband Internet, data and video services; supporting the requirements for today's and tomorrow's telemedicine capabilities - both in home and at medical facilities - that cost effectively provide the kind of health care currently not attainable to residents of Alleghany County; improving education opportunities for children by enabling broadband communications for homes and educational facilities; improving communication capabilities of public safety personnel and facilities; improving education opportunities for children by enabling broadband communications for homes and educational facilities.

Source: Virginian Review, Saturday, February 13, 2010