The word on more higher-speed internet at Wintergreen is "soon"
Wintergreen is becoming part of the one percent, at least technologically: According to 2017 data from the Federal Communications Commission, less than one percent of the nation has two or more providers of broadband fiber.
Before the end of this year, most property owners and businesses at Wintergreen will be able to choose between two providers providing speeds up to 1,000 Mbps.
One provider is the small, long-time cable TV service, Nelson Cable.
The new ISP is called FireFly, which is a project of Wintergreen's electric utility, Central Virginia Electric Cooperative. CVEC plans to bring high-speed internet to their entire multi-county service area.
Notes
Both Firefly and Nelson Cable have no usage caps.
Both ISPs offer VoIP phone for an additional monthly fee.
Nelson Cable offers cable TV services, Firefly does not.
The fiber options from both firms includes some technical support–Firefly offers "Managed WiFi," Nelson Cable provides a service called TechHome. Firefly's service comes with a wifi-modem router, Nelson Cable provides a modem that customers can link to their own wifi equipment.
Both ISPs offer customized setups at an additional charge.
A year ago download speeds of 25 Mbps was highest speed available for most here. Fiber-type speeds were coming, but it was either not widely available or it was expensive to install. Thanks to both competition and new technologies, the available internet speeds available at Wintergreen will be more widely available, extremely higher and prices will be coming down. The question now is, when?
"Soon" was the best answer regarding specific dates of available services at Wintergreen. Both ISPs are currently rolling out lines and installing new systems. A few areas of Wintergreen have some higher level services now. Others in or near Wintergreen may not see the new offerings until fall or later. The service providers are targeting individual households with offers as they extend their reach.
Here is the current status and schedule of when the new services are coming. This information was pieced together from information on the websites of both ISPs, news reports, WPOA, talking with contractors, and answers to our emailed questions to the ISPs:
Firefly is Central Virginia Electric Cooperative’s new broadband internet project. They expect to be offering service to many Wintergreen homes in Stoney Creek by August. Crews started installing Firefly fiber lines under the roads in Stoney Creek in March and are expected to finish that aspect of the work in May.
Firefly’s contractors started work to lay fiber lines on Wintergreen mountain in April and is expected to take about 90 days. In an email to the mountain community in April, CVEC said mountain property owners should have service starting next winter.
100 Mbps via fiber
Upstream & downstream
$49.99 a month
1 Gbps (1000 Mbps) via fiber
Upstream & downstream
$79.99 a month
As it launches, Firefly is waving its $100 standard installation fee for 30 days after their new service is available to a property owner.
To start the process to order the new FireFly internet service register HERE or email info@fireflyva.org. Phone: 833-473-3591. When the service comes to your street, you’ll be notified.
Get the official word here: Fireflyva.com
Nelson Cable’s new broadband internet offerings in Wintergreen began rolling out to homes in the valley starting in April. Their new, faster and cheaper 100 Mbps cable modem service is now moving street-by-street to Wintergreen homeowners in the valley and should be available to all Stoney Creek homes by the end of May. (This is a lower price than Nelson Cable had charged for 25 Mbps download.) On Wintergreen mountain, the new 100 Mbps cable modem service will start to be offered to homeowners in May.
Nelson Cable has had fiber lines in place throughout much of the main streets of Wintergreen. These lines are attached to the same conduit with the long-established coaxial cable. This coaxial conduit can also carry new fiber lines for homes.
Wintergreen property owners wanting the fiber-level speeds from Nelson Cable should be able to have it within months. A few property owners have it installed already.
100 Mbps via cable modem*
$44.95 a month
100 Mbps via fiber
Upstream & downstream
$49.95 a month
500 Mbps via fiber
Upstream & downstream
$64.95 a month
1 Gbps (1000 Mbps) via fiber
Upstream & downstream
$79.95 a month
The Nelson Cable fiber installation is free with a two-year commitment, otherwise $99.
To apply for any of the new Nelson Cable internet services, register HERE or email info@cyberwind.net. Phone: 434-263-4805. When the service comes to your street, you’ll be notified.
Get the official word here: NelsonCable.com
* Nelson Cable's existing customers upgrading to the 100 Mbps cable modem service will use the lines and equipment they have now, burying new lines is necessary only for fiber. Cable modem service is not asymmetrical; upload speeds are lower than download speeds.