Please read this Important Information - pass along to those that might not be aware.
The Blue Hill Peninsula is getting Fiber to the Premise for Home & Small Business!
"Consolidated Communications to Deliver Fidium Fiber Internet to 22,000 Rural Maine Homes and Businesses through Connect Maine Partnership $18.3 million NTIA grant enables public private partnership to deliver gigabit fiber to Rangeley Lakes Region, the Blue Hill Peninsula and the Farmington area..."
(see press release). Peninsula Beneficiaries: Blue Hill, Brooklin, Brooksville, Castine, Deer Isle, Penobscot, Sedgwick and Stonington.
New Updates as we receive relevant information
Updated 20 September 2022
Based on communication with Consolidated Communications (CCI) and their last conversation with Maine Connectivity Authority (MCA), NTIA will not be able to provide the final approval for the full build for the Peninsula until “early” December - MCA is working to improve that, but the size of the build and the processes to get there are hampering the final approval. That approval has also been hampering the other NTIA awardees in the state as well - not just the Peninsula.
The delay means that a 2022 build completion is not realistic at this point. The delays are in great part as a result of the NEPA approval process. Though most of the new cabling is over existing CCI communication lines, a few areas such as an undersea cable to Castine are specific to that environmental review.
An approval in December would mean a completion 1st quarter 2023, though winter builds can cause problems for some underground portions.
This delay is a frustration for CCI, their contractors, MCA, and the communities to be served. The build is gonna happen and we just need that full go-ahead. This fiber build is a Huge Positive for us all.
As was previously posted, about 45 days before the build completes, you'll be able to subscribe so PLEASE Pre-Order on the Fidium site and you'll get an email when that subscription window opens.
IMPORTANT: Locations with current CCI connections (or past service) will be connected at no cost. (see FIDIUM FIBER CONNECTION below)
a. If a premise is determined to have no communication connection or path, one may have to be created.
b. Pricing is shown on the Q&A Page of this site and the Fidium Fiber site.
What can you do now?
a. Make sure that the wiring on the utility poles on your property are not cluttered with tree branches. This will make it easier for the contractors to add additional cabling and prevent impacts in the future caused by trees growing up or out into the wiring. Branches on the wiring provide squirrels with easier access to the cabling & they might like to chew on the new soy based covering material.... Note that this is not a requirement, but a suggestion....
The Blue Hill Peninsula is getting Fiber to the Premise for Home & Small Business!
"Consolidated Communications to Deliver Fidium Fiber Internet to 22,000 Rural Maine Homes and Businesses through Connect Maine Partnership $18.3 million NTIA grant enables public private partnership to deliver gigabit fiber to Rangeley Lakes Region, the Blue Hill Peninsula and the Farmington area..."
(see press release). Peninsula Beneficiaries: Blue Hill, Brooklin, Brooksville, Castine, Deer Isle, Penobscot, Sedgwick and Stonington.
New Updates as we receive relevant information
Updated 20 September 2022
Based on communication with Consolidated Communications (CCI) and their last conversation with Maine Connectivity Authority (MCA), NTIA will not be able to provide the final approval for the full build for the Peninsula until “early” December - MCA is working to improve that, but the size of the build and the processes to get there are hampering the final approval. That approval has also been hampering the other NTIA awardees in the state as well - not just the Peninsula.
The delay means that a 2022 build completion is not realistic at this point. The delays are in great part as a result of the NEPA approval process. Though most of the new cabling is over existing CCI communication lines, a few areas such as an undersea cable to Castine are specific to that environmental review.
An approval in December would mean a completion 1st quarter 2023, though winter builds can cause problems for some underground portions.
This delay is a frustration for CCI, their contractors, MCA, and the communities to be served. The build is gonna happen and we just need that full go-ahead. This fiber build is a Huge Positive for us all.
As was previously posted, about 45 days before the build completes, you'll be able to subscribe so PLEASE Pre-Order on the Fidium site and you'll get an email when that subscription window opens.
IMPORTANT: Locations with current CCI connections (or past service) will be connected at no cost. (see FIDIUM FIBER CONNECTION below)
a. If a premise is determined to have no communication connection or path, one may have to be created.
b. Pricing is shown on the Q&A Page of this site and the Fidium Fiber site.
What can you do now?
a. Make sure that the wiring on the utility poles on your property are not cluttered with tree branches. This will make it easier for the contractors to add additional cabling and prevent impacts in the future caused by trees growing up or out into the wiring. Branches on the wiring provide squirrels with easier access to the cabling & they might like to chew on the new soy based covering material.... Note that this is not a requirement, but a suggestion....
Fidium Fiber Connection - last pole to the house
There may be variables at a premise, but they ALL are surmountable. MOST potential subscribers will have a direct pole to the premise connection or an existing conduit path. The following ONLY APPLIES to those that have existing direct buried communication lines or none at all.
What to do:
b. You can proactively understand what you have or don’t have to the premise and be thoughtfully prepared. i.e. how far is it to the premise, is there conduit, or do you assume there is not (i.e. you can’t see any conduit that is in use).
4. IMPORTANT: Fidium (CCI) can, depending on the situation but not guaranteed, connect you when the ground is frozen by laying the fiber on the ground to the house or in conduit, supplied by you, that can be laid on the ground till it is buried by you when the ground is ready!
a. Note: This is also done for generators when installed in the winter, as needed.
Conduit Requirements:
What to do:
- If you have a utility pole to the house direct connection – you do nothing.
- If you have phone or Spectrum via conduit – you do nothing as long as there is space enough in the conduit to accommodate another cable.
- If you have direct buried phone or Spectrum – you can do nothing OR
b. You can proactively understand what you have or don’t have to the premise and be thoughtfully prepared. i.e. how far is it to the premise, is there conduit, or do you assume there is not (i.e. you can’t see any conduit that is in use).
4. IMPORTANT: Fidium (CCI) can, depending on the situation but not guaranteed, connect you when the ground is frozen by laying the fiber on the ground to the house or in conduit, supplied by you, that can be laid on the ground till it is buried by you when the ground is ready!
a. Note: This is also done for generators when installed in the winter, as needed.
Conduit Requirements:
- How big should the conduit be? 1 inch minimum with 1.5 - 2 inch ideal. 3 inches is overkill for one fiber line!
- No 90-degree bends – Sweeps (soft curves) only at each end!
- Do you need to preload it with a pull tape to pull the fiber through? No, but if Fidium (CCI) cannot get the fiber or a pull string through the conduit, then the subscriber will be responsible for providing the pull string within that conduit. Better to put it in at time of install.
- If you need to transit a driveway and the ground is frozen, place the conduit across (smaller dia. 1-1.5 inch is ideal) the road and cover with dirt to the degree that the rise needed is met and the conduit covered. Then wet the ground to freeze it in place J – no speed bumps – and mark so you know where it is! OR prep a depression in a dirt driveway that has minimal impact to plowing or potential bend (radius) of the conduit. If not needed later it can be filled in.
How did we get here?
Listen to the Interview here: Maine Broadband Coalition Initiatives Across Maine
Listen to the Interview here: Maine Broadband Coalition Initiatives Across Maine
National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) AWARD
ConnectMaine is awarded funds from the NTIA to help provide Fiber to the Premise (FTTP) for the Blue Hill Peninsula. The combination of funding from NTIA, CCI’s prior FCC RDOF award, and CCI's own financial contribution, makes this possible. ConnectMaine submitted an application on August 17th for part of the NTIA funds set aside for Broadband ($288 Million). The application process occurred concurrently with the 4-Town RFP process and ConnectMaine chose CCI (www.fidiumfiber.com) as the Internet Service Provider (ISP) for area. The award was announced February 25th 2022 and requires no funding from the communities it will serve. It technically meets and geographically exceeds the 4-Town Joint Report's goals. Only 13 applications of 230 received were awarded.
Blue Hill, Brooksville, Deer Isle and Penobscot (The Towns) released a Request for Proposal (RFP) on July 9th 2021, receiving proposals from six (6) Respondents. The 4-Town Joint Status Report and Process Review was released January 7th.
The RFP and Joint Status Report outline the following baseline for service:
ConnectMaine is awarded funds from the NTIA to help provide Fiber to the Premise (FTTP) for the Blue Hill Peninsula. The combination of funding from NTIA, CCI’s prior FCC RDOF award, and CCI's own financial contribution, makes this possible. ConnectMaine submitted an application on August 17th for part of the NTIA funds set aside for Broadband ($288 Million). The application process occurred concurrently with the 4-Town RFP process and ConnectMaine chose CCI (www.fidiumfiber.com) as the Internet Service Provider (ISP) for area. The award was announced February 25th 2022 and requires no funding from the communities it will serve. It technically meets and geographically exceeds the 4-Town Joint Report's goals. Only 13 applications of 230 received were awarded.
Blue Hill, Brooksville, Deer Isle and Penobscot (The Towns) released a Request for Proposal (RFP) on July 9th 2021, receiving proposals from six (6) Respondents. The 4-Town Joint Status Report and Process Review was released January 7th.
The RFP and Joint Status Report outline the following baseline for service:
- Full Fiber Optic Network: Fiber to the Premise (FTTP)
- Ubiquitous: Available to any location currently served by grid-connected electricity and/or wireline telephone
- Available capacity of 1000 Mbps (1 Gbps) Upload and Download [equivalency] or greater
- Symmetrical service (i.e., 100Mbps/100Mbps)
- No data caps and no throttling of data
- Aerial (or existing available conduit) installation standard with minimal start-up/connection costs; reasonable connections and underground requirements identified and addressed as applicable
This page will be updated for any significant changes and progress.
OTHERS
| State of Maine-Statewide Broadband Action Plan 2020.pdf |