History of RANA

The Rockbridge Area Network Authority was created by Rockbridge County, Lexington and Buena Vista cities, and Washington & Lee University in 2009 to promote and provide high-speed "big broadband" fiber infrastructure for the area localities.

The Authority was created after years of study initiated by matching funds provided to the area localities by Virginia's Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) in early 2007. The Rockbridge Area Telecommunications Management Team was created to direct the funding and hire a consulting firm to establish the area's need for high-speed broadband access. The three local governments posted a 33% match to hire the consulting firm to study the feasibility for countywide broadband development.

The Telecommunications team was formed late in 2007 with members from the public and private sectors. Design Nine Inc., out of Blacksburg was hired to put together a comprehensive broadband feasibility plan which was presented in a 150 page report in October 2008. The report included: a Vision for the Region, Economic Impact Analysis, Case Studies from other areas, a Needs Assessment, Residential and Business Survey analysis, Broadband Education Strategies, Last Mile solutions, Network Architecture options, and Recommendations.

DHCD had proposed to fund a second phase to design a pilot project with a match from the localities. But the state funds were not forthcoming as the economic recession began to take its toll in late 2008. The County and the two cities decided to go ahead with the Phase II study on their own in late December 2008.

Washington and Lee joined the Telecommunications team in May 2009 and made a very generous offer of $2 million to be used as a grant fund match for Economic Stimulus funding made available through the Federal Recovery and Reinvestment Act. W&L already had plans to build a new fiber data distribution center on the west side of campus. The additional matching funds allowed us to increase the request to $10 million and to build out to the all public service entities.

The Management Team applied for broadband funding in August 2009.

The Authority recently submitted an application for round two broadband funding. The grant was awarded on August 17, 2010.

RANA was created in late July 2009 through a concurrent resolution signed by the area localities and Washington and Lee University.

Bylaws for the Authority were created subsequently to manage the new Authority.

The Authority brought on the original Telecommunications Management team as the primary advisory team for the Authority.

An open-ditch policy was approved by the area localities to aid the Authority on new fiber installations.

RANA on the Internet

RANA broadband is searchable on the Web and yields a link to the Broadband USA Applications database.

© 2010-2012 Rockbridge Area Network Authority
RANA is a collaboration of the County of Rockbridge, The City of Lexington, The City of Buena Vista, and Washington and Lee University.
Hosting and Design provided by Design Nine, Inc.
 
The Rockbridge Area Broadband Authority prohibits discrimination in all of its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex (including gender identity and expression), marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, political beliefs, genetic information, reprisal, or because all or part of an individual's income is derived from any public assistance program.