One of the first areas explored by Virginia colonists, Floyd County, Va., has a rich history of welcoming settlers to what many call “our beautiful mountain” nestled in the Blue Ridge. Today, the county’s population continues to grow, thanks to robust farming opportunities and advanced communications services supporting home-based businesses and Main Street.
Behind much of this growth is Citizens Telephone Cooperative (Floyd, Va.), which has been leading Floyd County down the broadband road for quite some time as the area’s beloved hometown communications provider for 110 years. At a celebration of the completion of its fiber build that brought high-speed internet to 100% of Floyd County in just six years, community members lauded the coop’s dedication to its customers and the community at large, supporting remote work, medical monitoring, music studios, jewelry suppliers, pet food companies and more.
“With Citizens' forward-thinking approach for the increased broadband needs of the future, we set out with a plan to build a better network for our customers,” said General Manager Donna Smith. “We are the first county in Southwest Virginia to be 100% fiber accessible to all residents and the second county in the state to reach this accomplishment.”
The celebration also drew policymakers from the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development, which oversees the state’s broadband programs, and the town of Floyd. Officials congratulated Citizens for bringing needed connectivity to southwest Virginia and bringing new excitement as the state is poised to connect even more people with grants made possible by the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program, making a lasting impact on the lives of countless Virginians.
“The digital world is your oyster, and Floyd is your launching pad,” said Floyd County Community & Economic Development Director Lydeana Martin.
And, of course, it wouldn’t be a party with a great band! The Worx of Virginia gave everyone a great show with renditions of country and rock favorites from today and yesterday until late in the evening. Not even a mid-summer shower could put a damper on the festivities.
I would like to congratulate the whole Citizens team for reaching this amazing milestone, which the company had the foresight to begin before the pandemic changed everyone’s perspectives about the importance of rural broadband. Keep up the great work, Citizens!