ECFiber - (802) 763-2262

ECFiber brings a community-owned subscriber-funded universal access fiber optic telecom network to 24 member towns. Service area maps are on the website.

The 24 Towns comprising East Central Vermont Community Fiber have recognized that the availability of high-speed fiber optic broadband is a necessary condition for their future prosperity, their ability to educate their children, to provide needed social services and to grow and maintain vibrant local economies. The Towns that banded together to pursue this initiative have in the past attempted to persuade incumbent providers to extend service in their communities. While there has been some build-out of true broadband service in a few of the participating towns, these efforts have, in the view of the Towns, been grossly inadequate. (In Vermont it is estimated that over 10% of households have a business in the home).

In 2008 ECF's initial financing effort was thwarted by the freezing of the capital markets in the wake of the Lehman Bros. bankruptcy. ECF then proceeded to apply for financing under two rounds of the Recovery Act Broadband Stimulus Program administered by the Rural Utilities Service, U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, but did not receive funding.

ECF has since raised over $6M from over 400 investors (mostly subscribers to the system.)

ECF ended 2014 with 947 subscribers and will be providing service in portions of 19 of its 24 member towns over 300 miles of network by YE 2015. 1700 miles of network will be required to provide universal service throughout its 24 towns. ECFiber hopes to accelerate its fundraising in 2015 by reaching out to institutional investors.

In 2015, ECFiber’s primary emphasis will be on fully utilizing its existing infrastructure by:
1) Adding subscribers to existing network mileage.
2) Expanding into 19 of its 24 member towns.
3) Increasing maximum symmetrical bandwidth offerings from the current 400 Mbps to 1 Gbps (contingent on sufficient funding.)

Tags: Internet Service Provider