Town, company release Internet feasibility study
Developer says town has options
FORT FAIRFIELD — After months spent researching the current state of broadband in Fort Fairfield through conversations with Internet service providers, surveys of residents and businesses and with boots on the ground investigating the infrastructure that is in place, the Town of Fort Fairfield and the James W. Sewall Company have released the results of their extensive Broadband Feasibility Study.
“We know Fort Fairfield is not alone in struggling to improve our Internet access, especially in rural parts of the community,” stated Fort Fairfield Marketing and Economic Director Tim Goff. “We also know that a robust and reliable Internet service is not going to magically manifest itself, so that is why we have invested so much time and effort to explore what we have and what it will take to get the broadband service our residents and businesses need now and in the foreseeable future.”
The study, Goff said, is the culmination of several months’ worth of effort by all involved and provides a detailed look at the current Internet infrastructure in place, with options to address deficiencies in Internet service.
Through a unique partnership, the town of Fort Fairfield has worked closely with the expert staff of the Sewall Company to gather data about Internet connectivity in the community, in order to understand what is already in place and what the options are to improve substandard service in many rural parts of the town.
The study shows that Fort Fairfield’s rural residents and businesses struggle to find reliable, fast Internet service, which impacts their ability to conduct business, work from home, connect with friends and family, or communicate effectively with others.
The document provides guidance on ways the town can work with various private internet service providers to leverage federal and state funding to help subsidize expanded service to more remote locations that are too costly for private companies to serve without public support and assistance.
“The good news is, Fort Fairfield has options,” said Brian Lippold, Sewall’s director of broadband and telecom consulting. “By being engaged in the process of seeking internet service providers to extend service to unserved and underserved parts of the town, Fort Fairfield has attracted the attention of providers and is better positioned to work with private companies to seek solutions to improve the situation.
“This study will help support those efforts and provides alternatives and approaches that will enable the town to meet with and negotiate with service providers and find ways to bring true high-speed Internet service to those parts of the community,” Lippold said.
This study, which was conducted free of charge for the community, can be read in its entirety by visiting www.fortfairfield.org. Copies are also be available for review at the Fort Fairfield Town Office.
“We have learned a tremendous amount about what can and cannot be done to improve our Internet access,” added Goff. “The process and the information have already helped shape our approach to improve our Internet connectivity. The town recently submitted a grant proposal to the ConnectME Authority, a component of state government charged with helping to facilitate improvements in Maine’s broadband service, and we will continue to explore ways to bring reliable, high-speed Internet service to every residence in our community.”
Goff expressed thanks to the Sewall Company for partnering with the town and providing the report at no charge. “We believe the information and insights contained in this study, and the experience, exposure and expertise we gained working with them on this project, will serve us well as we work to improve broadband access in our community,” he said.
For more information, contact Goff at 472-3802 or tgoff@fortfairfield.org, or Lippold at 233-2976 or Brian.lippold@sewall.com.
