V.I. Next Generation Network officials said Thursday that they have received a two-month extension to the grant that funds the construction of their territorywide broadband network, allowing them to finish putting down the infrastructure they need to support local organizations, departments, businesses and homes.

The close-out deadline for the grant will now be Jan. 26, 2015, which will give viNGN the chance to finish hooking up its more than 300 anchor insitutions and expanding its services to local businesses and professional organizations, its board reported.

Larry Kupfer, viNGN president, told board members that Innovative has signed on as a local Internet service provider, bringing the total number of ISPs to 11.

Meanwhile anyone that has recently completed viNGN’s digital literacy program will soon have the chance to win a brand new laptop. Officials announced Thursday that 240 residents will be randomly chosen to win the prize, and that the laptops are already in and waiting to be distributed. The residents will be selected through software that will randomly pick them for the reward.

At last month’s viNGN board meeting on St. Thomas, officials explained that viNGN teams have also been installing programs within local public computer centers that track incoming traffic, give site administrators more control, and offer incentives to seniors and residents with disabilities.