Current and Updated Things Happening:
1. The PUB meets every month on the 2nd Friday at 0800 via a Video Teleconference call.
2. A summary of activities related to the FCC's Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF) (CCI Local Awardee) and the USDA RUS Reconnect #2 program (GWI the local applicant) was provided. In addition, Island Institute is posting some of the same information here (Island Institute).
a. The RDOF still has some time to go before we know the impacts to the area as CCI still has to accept the award and then identify what it will actually do. The map below depicts (in Green) the areas locally awarded but more will follow in the coming months (estimating March at the earliest). The map does NOT identify or depict where or what work will actually be done - nor when. CCI was awarded 1 Gbps fiber so this is NOT going to upgrade any existing DSL services but will be Fiber based services according to the award and conversations with CCI.
b. Starlink (SpaceX) will probably affect the area "early" in 2021 but specifics are not known and it is assumed there will be data caps like HughesNet does for their satellite service. More to come.
3. GWI had submitted for Fibre to the Home (FTTH) "GWI loans" through the USDA Reconnect Program but no New England states received any awards. They will reapply for smaller areas that do not include the RDOF areas per direction from the FCC. Only Brooksville, Sedgwick and Penobscot qualified for this effort.
a. Blue Hill, Stonington and Deer Isle have Spectrum (Charter) and Brooklin upgraded Consolidated service which disqualified those towns because of their service capacity levels.
4. Blue Hill: Of the four CCI Remote Terminals (RTs), two are "full" with no capacity to add service. Butler Smythe is working through CCI to improve service/address shortfalls but based on recent conversation CCI is not expending company funds on DSL upgrades - their company focus will be on Fiber to the Home (FTTH) in the coming years. DSL is seen by investors as a financially poor use of funds when the future lies in fiber. (see Town Page). The Blue Hill Town Broadband assessment is available at the TOP of the Town Page.
a. To start an effort at being ready for ConnectMaine grant funding, Butler Smythe is engaging part of Blue Hill that will best profit from the programs funding qualifications. An area survey, testimonials and other data is being collected.
5. Stonington is continuing to work with CCI to improve DSL service to the average 10/1 level. Cost to the town was approved at the spring Town Meeting but a subsequent cost increase necessitates a Special Town Meeting to re-approve.
6. If you would like the specific RDOF results they can be found at: https://www.fcc.gov/auction/904/round-results. Please note that there are some concerns about the award with several online posts addressing the specifics of that.
1. The PUB meets every month on the 2nd Friday at 0800 via a Video Teleconference call.
2. A summary of activities related to the FCC's Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF) (CCI Local Awardee) and the USDA RUS Reconnect #2 program (GWI the local applicant) was provided. In addition, Island Institute is posting some of the same information here (Island Institute).
a. The RDOF still has some time to go before we know the impacts to the area as CCI still has to accept the award and then identify what it will actually do. The map below depicts (in Green) the areas locally awarded but more will follow in the coming months (estimating March at the earliest). The map does NOT identify or depict where or what work will actually be done - nor when. CCI was awarded 1 Gbps fiber so this is NOT going to upgrade any existing DSL services but will be Fiber based services according to the award and conversations with CCI.
b. Starlink (SpaceX) will probably affect the area "early" in 2021 but specifics are not known and it is assumed there will be data caps like HughesNet does for their satellite service. More to come.
3. GWI had submitted for Fibre to the Home (FTTH) "GWI loans" through the USDA Reconnect Program but no New England states received any awards. They will reapply for smaller areas that do not include the RDOF areas per direction from the FCC. Only Brooksville, Sedgwick and Penobscot qualified for this effort.
a. Blue Hill, Stonington and Deer Isle have Spectrum (Charter) and Brooklin upgraded Consolidated service which disqualified those towns because of their service capacity levels.
4. Blue Hill: Of the four CCI Remote Terminals (RTs), two are "full" with no capacity to add service. Butler Smythe is working through CCI to improve service/address shortfalls but based on recent conversation CCI is not expending company funds on DSL upgrades - their company focus will be on Fiber to the Home (FTTH) in the coming years. DSL is seen by investors as a financially poor use of funds when the future lies in fiber. (see Town Page). The Blue Hill Town Broadband assessment is available at the TOP of the Town Page.
a. To start an effort at being ready for ConnectMaine grant funding, Butler Smythe is engaging part of Blue Hill that will best profit from the programs funding qualifications. An area survey, testimonials and other data is being collected.
5. Stonington is continuing to work with CCI to improve DSL service to the average 10/1 level. Cost to the town was approved at the spring Town Meeting but a subsequent cost increase necessitates a Special Town Meeting to re-approve.
6. If you would like the specific RDOF results they can be found at: https://www.fcc.gov/auction/904/round-results. Please note that there are some concerns about the award with several online posts addressing the specifics of that.
