“As a member of the Utilities and Energy Committee, I was tasked with finding workable solutions to the expansion of the broadband communications infrastructure in Maine.  It is an important part of economic development for our State and as the Sponsor of “An Act to Establish a Broadband Policy for Maine” I am proud of the work we did to help connect more Maine residents, businesses, schools, and hospitals.  More work is to be done, more issues must be resolved, and more opportunity must be afforded to our citizens, but we are well on our way and we will keep up the fight.” - Statement from Rep. Sean Flaherty

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Maine’s Broadband Infrastructure Gets Federal Boost

From the August 5th, 2010 Maine Public Broadcasting Network:

Three communities in rural Maine could soon be “wired.” The federal government today announced a $1.2 billion national stimulus initative designed to expand high-speed broadband Internet service to underserved areas. Here in Maine, TDS Telecom of Wisconsin was granted almost $9.5 million to bring broadband to its telephone subsidiaries in the areas of Hartland, Corinna and Kingfield. The company says it plans to create 100 new jobs with the money and connect more than 5,000 people to the Internet.

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack says the art of communication is about to take a great leap forward in parts of Maine and 37 other rural states as the result of $1.2 billion in federal stimulus funds being awarded across the country.

“When it’s all said and done, we expect these investments will positively impact and expand broadband access to an estimated 1.2 million households, 230,000 businesses and over 7,800 anchor institutions — colleges, universities, hospitals, libraries, armories and so forth,” Vilsack says.

In a teleconference with reporters, Vilsack says states with far-flung rural populations face unique challenges that will be significantly alleviated by high-speed Internet access. He says that in addition to upgraded service for schools and businesses, hospitals will benefit from the DSL connection through advances in telemedicine that can connect doctors all over the world through video conferences.

“In addition, these investments will also help our first responders in rural and remote areas have the tools to keep their communities safe,” he says. “We will certainly work to advance rural health care, as medical specialists will be able to use telemedicine to provide advanced diagnosis for patients and to consult with their colleagues at other hospitals.”

Maine’s $9.4 million share of the grant was awarded to TDS Telecom of Madison, Wisconsin. The company says it plans to expand broadband service throughout three of its franchises: the Hartland and St. Albans Telephone Co., the Somerset Telephone Company and the West Penobscot Telephone and Telegraph Co.

“Certainly we have these customers as regular phone customers today. Some of them may even be on dial-up,” says TDS Telecom’s Deanne Boegli. Boegli says the grants will allow the company to move forward with plans to upgrade the regional hubs that will carry the high-speed Internet traffic to homes in service areas that include Corinna, Kingfield and Hartland — where many customers are continuing to struggle with slow dial-up speeds.

“What this investment will do will be allowing us to bring broadband Internet with speeds up to 20 meg {megabits) out to these customers in very rural areas, who at the present time the technology just isn’t there, the distance is too far from our central office,” she says.

Boegli says that broadband access will also directly enhance future economic growth in the areas. She says the company plans to hire more than 150 subcontractors who will do the actual work of installing the broadband lines.

“Those jobs are definitely going to put people to work who probably have a job but maybe they’re not quite as busy as they could be, or they could be bringing new people onto their teams,” she says. “But we will be using contractors for the majority of the work — local contractors.”

In addition to the Recovery Act grants, Boegli said TDS Telecom will be providing additional funds, bringing the total investment in Internet infrastructure to the three telephone companies to about $12.5 million dollars. According to the USDA, that investment will bring the option of high speed Internet service to more than 5,000 residents, 100 businesses and several dozen schools and community institutions.