Residents of five Waldo County towns will be asked to vote in July and August on a proposal to create a fiber broadband connection for every home.<\/p>\n
Frustrated by slow and expensive internet service, residents of each of the towns formed a committee that has worked for over two years to develop a better approach with the goal of providing equitable access to a fiber-optic broadband network with fast upload speeds, providing a minimum of 100 HMbit\/sec symmetric service.<\/p>\n
Resident responses to surveys indicated a need for faster internet for education, telehealth, employment, business and entertainment. The Southwestern Broadband Coalition board of directors reviewed an analysis of currently underserved areas and completed a feasibility study of providing fast fiber-optic access to every home in Freedom, Palermo, Montville, Liberty and Searsmont.<\/p>\n
After extensive research, the SWCBC board determined that the most economical and efficient solution was to create a municipal utility, owned by the towns, that would provide open access to internet services and operate at no cost to taxpayers.<\/p>\n
The towns now seek input from residents on the proposal. Other underserved town groups, like Downeast Broadband, have done this with great success, providing much lower-cost internet and telephone service as a choice for (residents), according to a press release July 18 from SWCBC.<\/p>\n
By providing a range of choices for internet service, residents will not be limited to just one internet provider and, instead of being dictated by one or few providers that offer low-speed and spotty service in most of the towns, residents could select what internet service best meets their needs and budget.<\/p>\n
Informational sessions are being offered in each town to provide residents with results of the SWCBC research and fiscal plans for the proposed Interlocal Agreement. A second meeting will then be held in each town to vote on the proposed nonprofit municipal utility, according to the press release.<\/p>\n
If approved as a nonprofit municipal utility, owned by the five towns, the utility district will engage with an Internet Service Provider to run fiber-optic lines to every home, business and public building in the towns.<\/p>\n
A copy of the Waldo Broadband Coalition Interlocal Agreement document is available in each town office. A positive vote will be a step forward to getting a choice of services among providers, the press release said. Children will have a better education using the internet, the rest of us will be able to work from home and access telehealth services, the release said.<\/p>\n
More information is available at swwaldobroadband.org.<\/p>\n
Following is the schedule of public informational meetings and voting by town:<\/p>\n
Searsmont: Meet Wednesday, July 20, 7 p.m.; vote Wednesday, July 27, 7 p.m. at Searsmont Community Room.<\/p>\n
Freedom: Meet Thursday, July 21, 6 p.m.; vote Thursday, July 28, 6 p.m. at Freedom Town Office Annex.<\/p>\n
Palermo: Meet Tuesday, July 19, 6 p.m.; vote Thursday, July 21, 6 p.m. at Palermo Library.<\/p>\n
Liberty: Meet Wednesday, July 20, 6:30 p.m.; vote Thursday, July 28, 6:30 p.m. at Liberty Community Hall.<\/p>\n
Montville: Meet Tuesday, Aug. 2, 6:30 p.m., or Wednesday, Aug. 17, 6:30 p.m.; vote Tuesday, Aug. 23, 6:30 p.m. at Montville Town House.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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Five Waldo County towns ready to vote on broadband - Republican Journal<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Residents of five Waldo County towns will be asked to vote in July and August on a proposal to create a fiber broadband connection for every home. Frustrated by slow and expensive internet service, residents of each of the towns formed a committee that has worked for over two years to develop a better approach with the goal of providing equitable access to a fiber-optic broadband network with fast upload speeds, providing a minimum of 100 HMbit\/sec symmetric service Continue reading