HISTORIC TRIANGLE — Both the James City County (JCC) and the City of Williamsburg entered into agreements with Shenandoah Cable Television, LLC (Shentel) to act as another option to their residents for broadband.
Shentel is a 119-year-old company based out of Shenandoah Valley that was founded as a phone company. Today, the company offers broadband and other services to residents in Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky, and Maryland.
Now, it will expand its services to JCC and Williamsburg residents.
JCC County Attorney Adam Kinsman said that cable competition is something that the county’s Board of Supervisors has long requested.
Stuart French of Shentel said that it could take around two-and-a-half to three years before the services are available to all areas in the County. The cable company will provide services to residents, businesses, schools and government buildings in the County.
In Williamsburg, construction will begin in 2022 for a system of next-generation fiber-to-the-home Glo Fiber broadband services through Shentel.
“The City of Williamsburg considers access to high-speed broadband essential to being a community where all have the opportunity to thrive,” said Williamsburg’s City Manager Andrew O. Trivette. “Adding fiber-to-the-home through Glo Fiber to our roster of available providers is a major step forward toward our vision of One Williamsburg.”
In an Oct. 14 release, it states that Glo Fiber provides a multi-gigabyte internet access, streaming TV, and phone service to Shentel’s customers. Stuart French noted that customer service is Shentel’s first priority.
Powhatan District Supervisor Michael J. Hipple said that having a new cable service will give citizens another option.
“The biggest sale as far as I’m concerned is customer service,” he said. “We have been dealing with probably not the customer service that we’re anticipating getting from [Shentel].”
Shentel has also announced that it will be expanding to Suffolk as well.
“We are continuing to expand throughout Virginia, and the growth that we have seen has been exciting,” said Shentel’s Vice President of Industry and Regulatory Affairs Chris Kyle. “While Williamsburg is known as a hub for historical tourism, it is also home to a growing number of businesses and residents — all with a need for strong, reliable internet services, and we’re pleased to provide a 100 [percent] fiber-optic choice.”
