Henry County turns to ZiTel to finish delayed broadband buildout

Henry County has ended its broadband deployment partnership with RiverStreet Networks and selected ZiTel to take over the long-delayed expansion project, the county announced Aug. 5.

The change was coordinated with the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development, the West Piedmont Planning District Commission, Franklin County and Patrick County. The county said ZiTel will assume responsibility for completing the Virginia Telecommunications Initiative project intended to extend reliable, high-speed internet to unserved and underserved homes and businesses.

Henry County said the transition will not require additional local tax dollars or grant funding because the money needed to finish the project has already been secured. The announcement did not provide a new construction schedule, street-by-street service map or connection date, so residents should treat the change as a project-management update rather than an immediate service start.

For households and businesses still waiting for broadband, the practical next step is to watch for county and project-partner updates as ZiTel takes over construction and the county reports new milestones. The project affects a wider West Piedmont service area, but the county remains the local government point of reference for Henry County residents.

Source: Reporting based on Henry County\'s official announcement posted Aug. 5, 2026, Henry County Selects New Broadband Provider. The accompanying SVG is an original illustrative graphic and is not a documentary photograph of a specific construction site.