Orbitel, LLC, a local company owned by long-time St. Croix resident Todd Klindworth, is to invest about $70 million to build a fiber optic network that will be available to every home in the Virgin Islands, Gov. John deJongh announced in a statement from Government House.
De Jongh said he met recently with Klindworth to discuss the investment and to gain a firsthand understanding of how the network will gain access to the high speed connectivity be provided by the Virgin Islands Next Generation Network, viNGN.
“I welcome the investment by Orbitel as another step forward is taken in the effort to bring affordable Internet access to residents of the Virgin Islands,” de Jongh said. “One of my primary goals with the viNGN middle-mile broadband network development was to make affordable high speed Internet access available to all in our territory, and this investment gets us ever closer to that goal.”
De Jongh described the investment by Orbitel as another example of Todd Klindworth and his family’s belief in the future diversification of the Virgin Islands and their continued commitment to the continued economic development of the territory.
The governor welcomed the announcement made earlier in the week that ConnectSpace.vi is seeking to fill 80 job openings in the territory for work-from-home remote services technicians. Connectspace.vi is a partner and program of the viNGN.
“This type of opportunity will augment our efforts to close the digital divide and create a knowledge-based work force," the governor said. "The work of viNGN and its partners such as ConnectSpace.vi is aimed at building not only a foundation of network infrastructure and public computer centers but provide job opportunities and training as the territory takes advantage of one of the fastest growing trends in U.S. business today – the growth of teleworkers and free lancers.”
An estimated 50 percent of the national workforce is expected to work remotely at least part time by 2020.
With broadband development centers on St. Croix and St. Thomas, ConnectSpace.vi will continue to assist residents to prepare for telework jobs through its TeleWork BootCamp program.
“Residents interested in applying need a home office environment, including a computer and Internet connection, and can begin the process by visiting job openings on the ConnectSpace.vi website at http://www.connectspacevi.net/jobposting/,” he said.