Virginia Broadband Leader: How I Deal With ISPs Attempting to Change Contracts

WASHINGTON, Feb. 11, 2026 – As grant funds rolled out from Virginia's Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) toward broadband access programs across the state,Dr. Tamarah Holmes, director of the broadband office at the agency, found herself on the phone constantly with ISP lawyers rebuffing attempting to change the terms of their contracts.

On her appearance on the Fiber Broadband Association’s weekly “Fiber For Breakfast” event Wednesday, Holmes said that agreements with ISPs are mostly carried out on the local level, and that they use a standard contract with all ISPs that does not get customized per provider.

Holmes also provided an update on her office’s attempts to close the digital divide. Although the state will receive $545 million for deployment funds un the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment program, that's only 36 percent of funds originally awarded to the state.

Broadband Breakfast is Tracking Planned BEAD Connections by Technology

                        Join the Breakfast Club for Premium Documents
                    

Chart of States’ Planned BEAD Deployment by TechnologyBroadband Breakfast is tracking planned BEAD connections by technologyBroadband BreakfastBroadband Breakfast

This post is for subscribers only

Become a member to get access to all content

Subscribe now