Portsmouth Broadband Authority Meeting – August 12, 2025

The Portsmouth Broadband Authority met on August 12, 2025, at 4:00 PM (the meeting ran over time and adjourned later). The meeting focused on updates to the Next Generation Network (NGN) project, the status of the Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) grant program, and an overview of the city's Digital Opportunity Plan. Members discussed connectivity targets, funding challenges, survey results, and strategies to close the digital divide.

Consent Calendar

• Minutes: The minutes from the previous meeting were adopted by a motion and second, with all members present voting in favor (no opposition noted).

Public Comments & Testimony

• No public speakers were present or requested to speak. The chair noted: "We don't have any public speakers, do we?" and the meeting proceeded without any public comment.

Discussion Items

• Next Generation Network (NGN) Project Update: Mr. Mouse presented the update. The city has 119 Community Anchor Institutions (CAIs) identified for connection. The first 10 CAIs are scheduled to be lit up by the end of 2025:
  • By end of October: Sheriff's Civil Process Division, Social Services, Corrections and Parole Office, Fire Rescue and EMS Station 1.
  • By end of November: Parking Authority, Water Street Garage, Main Library, Public Defender's Office.
  • By end of December: Senior Station, Sportsplex, and a final location (likely "pretty light lift"). The city applied for a Southeast Economy and Infrastructure Development Grant (announcement expected September 1, 2025) to help fund the NGN ring. The design for all three phases includes the 119 CAIs, but only 10 will be connected by year-end due to proximity to the existing fiber. Member questions explored the rationale for choosing these 10 sites (e.g., Water Street Garage) and the need to prioritize city-owned facilities to save costs. The authority learned that connecting all 119 CAIs will require a network engineering design and an assessment, expected by end of 2025, which will determine costs and timelines. The ring is intended to be a trunk line that ISPs can tap into; the city will not connect directly to homes.
• BEAD Program Status: The BEAD (Broadband Equity Access and Deployment) grant originally allocated $1.48 billion to Virginia, but funding changes under a new federal administration have altered definitions and processes. A draft plan from the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) is open for public comment until August 22, 2025. Under the draft, several ISPs have been provisionally awarded funding for 163 locations in Portsmouth: Amazon (10 locations), GTS Spark (65), SpaceX (3), and Verizon (85). These locations are based on ISP-reported data on areas with inadequate speeds under the 25/3 Mbps definition (now moving to 100/25 Mbps). Members expressed concern that the survey of residents (112 responses out of ~40,000 households) was not statistically significant and that public awareness of the plan is low. The authority emphasized the need for better marketing and community outreach.
• Digital Opportunity Plan Overview: The plan aims to ensure every resident has access to affordable high-speed internet, digital literacy, and opportunities for advancement. Key components include:
  • Access: building infrastructure to close the digital divide.
  • Affordability: targeting covered populations (low-income, disabled, limited English proficiency, formerly incarcerated).
  • Adoption: digital literacy programs and community navigators.
  • Advancement: enabling IoT devices, telehealth, and smart city technologies. The plan uses GIS data to map covered populations. The city conducted a survey (closed July 4, 2025) to gather input, but only 112 responses were received. A random drawing for a gift certificate was awarded to a participant named "Lyra." Members noted that while 100% of households are served according to the 25/3 Mbps definition, actual adoption and affordability remain challenges. The city will not directly provide internet to homes but aims to stimulate competition among ISPs to lower costs.

Key Outcomes

• Minutes approved unanimously.
• Next meeting scheduled: September 9, 2025, at 4:00 PM.
• Action items:
  • Mr. Mouse will follow up with a map of the NGN ring for authority members.
  • The network engineering assessment will be delivered by end of 2025 to determine costs and timelines for connecting all CAIs.
  • The authority discussed the need to improve public outreach and education about the Digital Opportunity Plan and BEAD programs.
• No formal votes taken on the presentations; the meeting was informational.