Committee to explore broadband Internet access for all town residents – By Susan Mustapich – Rockland – Camden – Knox – Courier-Gazette

By Susan Mustapich | Dec 24, 2019

LINCOLNVILLE — City officers are exploring choices for offering high-speed broadband Web providers to 100 % of Lincolnville residents.

The Board of Selectmen accredited the Broadband Committee cost December 23.

Their first step is to kind a Broadband Committee charged with a number of objectives. These are to hunt affirmation that the aim of 100 % broadband entry is supported by the group; to doc what areas of the city are presently served by broadband infrastructure and the place there are gaps in service or sub par service; and to discover accessible choices to offer broadband to underserved areas.

The committee will evaluate city procedures, insurance policies, guidelines and ordinances that may have an effect on the enlargement of broadband service, or enhance the price of infrastructure growth, and to establish any actions the city can take to advance the enlargement. The committee can even coordinate training and outreach.

The ultimate cost for the committee is to advocate to the Board of Selectmen a plan of action it believes is in the very best curiosity of the city as an entire no later than June 10.

Selectmen are in search of committee members who’re everlasting or seasonal residents of Lincolnville within the said goal of exploring broadband enlargement choices.

Lincolnville is in a singular place inside the state, as a result of about 75 % of residents have entry to excessive velocity fiber optic cable belonging to native Web supplier LCI.

LCI has run 41 miles of fiber optic via the city, offering 1,020 households with entry to excessive velocity knowledge, voice and video providers. The remaining 338 households both haven’t any Web entry or poor Web service that makes use of older copper wire expertise.

Of the 1,020 family, 46 % are present clients of LCI O.P.E.N. fiber community, in accordance with the corporate. One other 542 households have the choice of connecting to the fiber optic service.

On Nov. 12, an LCI consultant requested city officers to help the corporate in laying one other 26 miles of fiber optic cable to offer entry to the roughly 338 underserved households. LCI is asking city officers to assist the corporate’s utility for a a Join Me state grant, by serving to acquire signatures on a petition supporting the proposal from a minimum of 50 % of the 338 households, and to ask residents all for fiber optic service to fill out pre-applications with LCI.

On Dec. 9, Selectmen mentioned the LCI proposal. Some Selectmen stated they have been conscious quite a few city residents are dissatisfied with LCI’s present service. LCI Advertising and marketing and Gross sales Director Alan Hinsey stated on the time that almost all service complaints are from clients utilizing the older DSL copper wire expertise. Selectmen  agreed they wanted to have a look at the city’s choices, and first hear from residents earlier than transferring ahead with any proposals for fiber optic enlargement.