Island Institute report cites need for broadband on year-round islands
The Island Institute released a report Wednesday outlining the lack of broadband Internet access on Maine islands, options for solutions and the economic benefits of improved service.
The goal of the report from the Rockland nonprofit was to provide the island communities with information to help them make decisions about pursuing or funding any expansion of services.
The organization hired Tilson Technology Management, a Portland consulting firm that has done similar reports for other Maine communities, to study options for 13 of Maine’s 15 year-round islands, plus Sutton Island, a small, private island south of Mount Desert Island and north of Cranberry Isles.
The report said that many of the islands share the same goals of sustaining the year-round community by enabling telecommuting and attracting young families, and ensuring access to government services, telemedicine and other information.
The option with the fastest speeds, building fiber optic cable routes throughout each island, has very high initial capital costs, starting in the millions of dollars, the report said. It’s the only solution that would offer universal, same-speed access to the islands, but the high fixed operating costs would mean that very high adoption rates would be needed to keep prices down, according to the report.
Other options included Redzone Wireless expanding wireless LTE broadband coverage to the island, and working with existing carriers to improve service. Most islands rely on technology from FairPoint or TDS, and there are already upgrades planned for four of the islands. Expanded DSL technology from existing providers could be a viable, interim solution for many of the islands over the next few years, the report said.
All of Maine’s year-round island communities are currently underserved, with available speeds not meeting the ConnectME Authority’s broadband Internet standard of 10 megabits per second upload and download, according to the report.
The islands included in the study are the town of Cranberry Isles (Islesford, Great Cranberry, Sutton), Vinalhaven, North Haven, Monhegan, Matinicus, Frenchboro, Swan’s, Chebeague, Long Island, Isle Au Haut, Cliff and Peaks.
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