A Casco Bay island gets high-speed internet through public-private partnership
Consolidated Communications (Nasdaq: CNSL) is bringing high-speed internet service to Long Island, and looking to expand to other Maine communities with the help of grants and private investment.
Following similar public-private partnerships in New Hampshire, Consolidated is trying the approach in Maine to bring services to more remote locations, Sarah Davis, Consolidated’s senior director of government relations told Mainebiz. Other expected locations include Eastbrook, the Rangeley region, Hancock County, Farmington and Searsport, she said.
In June 2021, Long Island town officials signed a contract with Consolidated to begin construction of an island-wide, fiber-to-the-premises internet network that would deliver high-speed broadband services to all residents and small businesses.
There are no property tax increases associated with the project and subscribers will not incur an infrastructure fee. The project is funded by an investment from Consolidated and through a $388,000 grant from the ConnectMaine Authority.
Davis said the project came in under budget and faster than expected, allowing customers to start ordering services. An introductory service package starts at $35 a month, but the cost could be lower for low-income residents, she said.
Long Island is the first step in Consolidated's goal to bring high-speed internet services to 450,000 homes and businesses in Maine, Davis added.
In 2021, the the Maine Connectivity Authority was established as a quasi-governmental agency with the big mandate of creating universal high-speed internet access across the state.
Consolidated said its efforts will build on that momentum.
“It fits in perfectly with what the state is doing. Public-private partnerships have worked well in other states and we want to bring the same partnerships to Maine. We want to bring a lot of fiber to the state,” Davis said.
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