On Wednesday, September 5, 2018, at 9:00 AM, the Hampton Roads Regional Planning District Commission (HRPDC) in partnership with the Regional Broadband Steering Committee, elected officials from the cities of Norfolk and Virginia Beach and representatives of Old Dominion University and Virginia Wesleyan University will announce the first connection point to the Regional Ring, a fiber optic backbone system that will connect all five Southside cities to the transatlantic cable landings.

This unified government network will reduce costs, bolster economic development,accommodate higher education facilities, and support the development of smart communities.