Rockbridge businesses can receive a connection to the Rockbridge Area Network Authority broadband system through a connection funding program. RANA is in the process of selecting businesses to receive a drop connection to their broadband system. Businesses that would like to apply for a connection can fill out a form on the RANA website, ranabroadband.net.

Here is the press release from the Rockbridge Area Network Authority.

Lexington, June 14 — The Rockbridge Area Network Authority has announced a process for selecting a number of local businesses to receive a “drop”, or connection to the RANA broadband system, using funds that are included in the grants that were secured to establish the RANA program.

To apply for a connection under the funding program, businesses can fill out a simple form available on the RANA website at www.ranabroadband.net , click on “Services”, then on “Connection Request Form.” A sheet of frequently asked questions about the business connections accompanies the form. Copies of the form and FAQ sheet are also available at the office of Dan Grim in the County Administration building at 150 South Main Street, 2nd floor, in Lexington.

The purpose of the connection funding program is to encourage businesses to connect to RANA as soon as practicable, and begin using the internet services that RANA will carry on behalf of various service providers. RANA chairman Hunt Riegel notes, “The sooner we get businesses connected to and using the RANA network, the better it will be for all concerned. The businesses will have affordable ultrafast broadband services. RANA, which will get its revenue from the service providers, will begin to develop income that can be used to expand the network to areas not included in the first phase of construction.”

Riegel also points out that submission of a connection request form does not guarantee a business will be connected to RANA at no charge under the connection funding program. “A limited amount of funding for these no-cost connections has been set aside in the RANA program. We will need to evaluate each request to balance the anticipated use of internet services versus the estimated cost of making the connection at that particular business site. Also, the three RANA jurisdictions – Rockbridge County, Buena Vista, Lexington – may have slightly different criteria for processing and evaluating requests.”

Businesses that do not qualify for a no-cost “drop” connection under the funding program can obtain an estimate of connection costs by contacting RANA at 540-464-9656.

The funding program covers only the one-time cost of a RANA connection. Businesses using internet services via RANA will pay their service providers a monthly fee, a portion of which RANA will receive from the providers.

RANA is urging interested businesses to submit connection applications now, because those requests will receive the earliest consideration.