GRUNDY, Va. -- Joining forces, three telecommunications leaders cut the ribbon today for a new superhighway in this town of 1,200 that sits along the banks of the Levisa River in rural Buchanan County. But this superhighway will bring information - not 18-wheelers and SUVs - zipping through town.
An innovative alliance among Verizon Avenue, Alvarion and Virginia Mountain Micro is building a wireless, high-speed Internet-access network that will allow qualifying homes and businesses in Grundy to connect to the Internet at speeds up to 1.5 megabits per second. The pilot project also will present new opportunities for e-commerce, distance learning, telemedicine, telecommuting and other benefits of living in a broadband community.
Verizon Avenue, a subsidiary of Verizon Communications, will deliver broadband Internet access to qualifying homes and businesses in Grundy from several wireless base stations downtown. Verizon also plans to offer its Verizon Online high-speed digital subscriber line (DSL) services to qualifying homes and businesses in the community over their existing telephone lines later this year. The company will deploy and market the wireless and DSL broadband services in a coordinated manner to maximize coverage to Grundy and surrounding areas.
Alvarion is providing wireless equipment and training for the project as a demonstration of the company's continued support and commitment to this market. Virginia Mountain Micro, a local company, will provide installation and maintenance services for the network and for customers ordering service.
Verizon Avenue
Alvarion Ltd.