CARIBOU, Maine — As city officials renegotiate the municipal contract with internet and cable provider Spectrum, resident Robert Kerber asked councilors during their April 22 meeting to request that high speed internet access be extended on the Emond Road.
Kerber first approached councilors on Jan. 14, telling them that every Caribou resident should have access to dependable and reliable high speed internet. He told them that he was still using dial-up internet roughly five years ago and that he has since switched to using US Cellular 4G internet, which is neither dependable or reliable, and caps at 10 gigabytes every month.
During the April meeting, he said that despite Spectrum’s cable only being roughly 1,000 feet from his home, representatives with the company told him he would have to pay $3,000 to extend the cable to his house, which is “not going to happen.”
“If the city of Caribou can negotiate a better deal with Spectrum so we can get high speed cable internet up the street,” he said, “that would be great.”
Kerber suggested that the contract with Spectrum should include internet access to all people living in Caribou, regardless of the population density where they live.
Caribou Mayor Mark Goughan said city officials “ought to ask Spectrum to come in” so they can start the negotiation process, and City Manager Dennis Marker responded that Caribou has already hired a consultant to help with negotiations.
Goughan asked if Marker could make the negotiator aware of Kerber’s issue, something Marker said the city could “certainly” do.
“Is Spectrum going to come in front of council at some point and time?” Goughan asked.
Marker said that while he didn’t know if company representatives would personally come to a council meeting, he could certainly look into sending an invitation.
“Legislation is being looked at that would require service for areas with 15 homes per mile as opposed to 20,” the town manager added. “I don’t know how they would look at the Emond Road, but that is something we can definitely bring to their attention.”
Kerber said he would be “more than glad” to attend another council meeting if Spectrum officials were to make an appearance, and asked councilors to keep him in the loop.
