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Sinking cable and connecting Islesboro, population 71, with a fast, reliable broadband system. (Photo courtesy Pioneer Consulting)

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Rural and remote locations in Maine will have opportunity to connect by the end of 2024

By Meghan Grabill, Ph.D., Director of Research & Data

The Roux Institute at Northeastern University, University of Maine, AARP Maine and Maine Connectivity Authority to Host Two-Day Startup Challenge

The Pre-Qualification Evaluation is the next step in unlocking $272 million in federal funding allocated to the state of Maine

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Maine Connectivity Authority seeks proposals to design and build a 500-mile fiber optic network

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"First and foremost, these services must be affordable to all Mainers."

Fiber service enters the Midcoast, a more “resilient” source of internet connection.

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Homes and businesses in two midcoast counties will receive $35.6 million for community broadband projects; the funding includes grants from the Maine Connectivity Authority.

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The money was awarded by the Maine Connectivity Authority to help more than 15,000 homes and businesses in Waldo and Lincoln counties get better internet access.

Maine Connectivity Authority grants will provide $9.6 million to complement over $26 million in other public and private investments, delivering internet access to 15 communities

The awards go to two partnerships that will connect over 15,000 addresses in the state.

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Senator welcomes colleague Senator Manchin and MCA’s Andrew Butcher to discuss game changing technology

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The Maine Connectivity Authority recently gifted the town of Stonington more than $1.7M to place a connectivity hub inside the town's former elementary school.

The pilot program is a result of a partnership between SMPDC, McArthur Library, and Biddeford Adult Education.

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The initial award of nearly $272 million was authorized through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law which was supported by both senators

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SeniorsPlus and YWCA Central Maine in Lewiston, and Franklin County Adult and Community Education in Farmington are set to receive $3.3 million in total between them to bring digital improvements and better internet access to their communities.

The money will fund digital improvements to 12 community organizations across Maine.

The grants are part of the Maine Connectivity Authority’s Connectivity Hubs Program to allow underserved communities access to high-speed internet.

The donation was made by the Harold Alfond Foundation to build on the success of existing programming that the organization believes can help ease Maine's labor shortage.

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The largest sum of money ever dedicated to expanding broadband in Maine is being made available through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and follows thousands of comments about how to extend internet service in the state.

The approval opens access to more than $1.2 billion BEAD funds.

Maine’s initial plan to provide high-speed internet service to everyone in the state has been approved by the NTIA.

Two States Requested Access to BEAD Funds Totaling Over $1.2 billion

A ribbon cutting ceremony took place at Bass Park on Thursday with members of the Wilton Select Board and representatives from CCI and MCA.

Congress has yet to approve additional funding; all qualified households will lose their monthly internet bill discounts at the end of April, some in May.

Fayette joins Wilton and other rural communities across the state in bringing broadband services to their towns through the Maine Connectivity Authority and CCI.

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In the state’s poorest county, libraries offer not only books but internet access and community workforce support.

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This week: We hear from the Maine Connectivity Authority's Maggie Drummond-Bahl on the state's NTIA-approved digital equity plan and its 'five key strategies' for closing the digital divide.

More than a dozen Maine islands are waiting for access to fast, reliable internet that has become critical for everything from schoolwork to watching movies.

High-speed internet is not a luxury for older Mainers, it is a necessity.

NTIA Administrator Alan Davidson announced the first recipient of the digital equity grant program

The $288 million program was a component of the 2021 Coronavirus Response and Consolidated Appropriations Act.

Fidium Fiber is now available to every home and business in previously unserved communities

Computers and internet access will be loaned out in a collaborative project aimed at overcoming a key obstacle to employment.

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Funding will help provide Internet access to underserved communities in Western Maine

With a new executive director, the Greater East Grand Region is working to generate economic activity. High-speed broadband is one early strategy.

The upgraded service comes amid ongoing efforts — and an investment of hundreds of millions of dollars — to bring faster internet service to communities across Maine.

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Lee Umphrey is the president and CEO of Eastern Maine Development Corp., which is responsible for developing a comprehensive economic development plan for eastern Maine.

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Nicholas MacDonald is a lecturer of small business management at the University of Maine at Machias. He previously worked for Machias Savings Bank.

In this Aug. 22, 2023, file photo, Easton Town Clerk Cheryl Clark works at her desk at the Easton Town Office. Easton has just completed its expansion of the broadband interest services this year. Credit: Paul Bagnall / The Star-Herald

Including Senator Angus King

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Myles Smith is the executive director of the Maine Broadband Coalition. The coalition includes regional economic development authorities, health and education providers, community leaders, and small- and medium-sized Internet Service Providers.

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More Households Are Eligible for a Benefit to Help Pay for Internet Service

The head of the Maine Connectivity Authority discusses efforts to increase access to affordable and reliable high-speed internet throughout the state. We'll learn about efforts underway, funding sources, potential roadblocks, and the work being done beyond the wires to build out the internet and digital equity across the state.

If it’s allowed to expire, it will threaten the connectivity of over 20 million American households enrolled in the program, including about 90,000 in Maine, as well as our rural broadband efforts.

Official Gig Town

One of the programs set up to ensure affordable internet for all is set to run out by the middle of 2024.

Julie Casson, right, Community Digital Planner, Coastal Maine Regional Broadband presents a check to Southport Memorial Library Director Jen Britton.

The Affordable Connectivity Program, ACP, will pay up to $75 per month for eligible households.

Maine is one of the first states to submit its plan to the NTIA, following Delaware.

Pamela Dunning, director of Wiscasset Public Library, receives the grant award from Julie Casson, community digital planner, Coastal Maine Regional Broadband.

This money will be leveraged by the Maine Connectivity Authority to incentivize internet service providers to expand into underserved areas in the state.

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It's seen by the head of Maine's statewide broadband agency as an example of the kind of work needed in many parts of Maine to bring broadband to all.

With the acceptance of the MCA grant on Tuesday, July 18, the Select Board will be able to move forward with Matrix Design Group to bring high-speed internet to Wilton.

Reaching 94,000 Maine homes and businesses that currently have unreliable internet or none at all is but one piece of a tricky puzzle.

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More than $42 billion has been allocated nationwide to expand high-speed internet access, and Maine's share is the largest of any state in New England.

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The largest Federal investment Maine has ever received for broadband expansion is made possible by Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and will help Maine reach Governor Mills’ statewide connectivity goal

Princeton and Cooper will become part of the Washington County-based network, providing a needed and appreciated service.

When the pandemic hit, a digital equity center in Downeast Maine helped older residents learn how to use the internet to stay connected and informed. Now a national grant program will give them the chance to train more residents.

All 50 states are currently working on Five-Year Action Plans for the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program. As they release draft plans, the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society is sharing summaries focused on how states define their broadband goals and priorities.

Maine’s ambitious broadband expansion is creating demand for more workers to hang fiber. Women are increasingly responding to the opportunity.

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President Joe Biden delivers remarks at the Safer Communities Summit at the University of Hartford in West Hartford, Conn., on June 16.

The delegation supported the bipartisan infrastructure law, which includes money for broadband expansion in Maine.

Senator Collins was a member of the core group of 10 Senators who negotiated the infrastructure package and led the broadband negotiation with Senator Shaheen; Grant program is based on King-led legislation to connect internet carriers to networks in underserved communities.

Competitive Award to Accelerate Access to Quality Internet

All 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico are currently working on digital equity plans. As they release draft plans seeking public feedback, the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society is sharing summaries focused on how states define their digital divides and their vision for reaching digital equity.

The state is deciding how to use federal funds for improving high-speed internet access, and wants public input on some of the priorities that have been identified so far.

Initiatives bridge the gaps from individual homes and businesses to existing networks

There are ‘locations where we know it is not possible to receive that level of service,’ said Maine’s broadband authority.

New Broadband Action Plan will guide the investment of $200+ million in federal funding for digital equity and infrastructure

Plus, Detroit’s parks are getting public Wi-Fi; the White House has launched invest.gov; New York continues to up enrollment in broadband program; and more.

First half of allocations going to wide variety of initiatives to expand high-speed internet access

The Maine Connectivity Authority is joining community leaders in Franklin County to celebrate the completion of a nine-town broadband expansion project and a new grant award to Wilton to further expand broadband.

A regional victory and vision for highspeed internet access for all

The Maine Connectivity Authority launches Reach Me Line Extensions.

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The Maine Connectivity Authority is launching a new program to provide targeted support to Broadband Utility Districts in Maine.

Digital Equity and Accessibility was the topic of the state’s first ever Digital Equity Workshop.

Broadband Utility Districts (BUDs) provide an ownership model that plays a critical role in helping enable regional scale impact for improved connectivity and digital equity in Maine.

MCA's President, Andrew Butcher's op-ed about how to offer balanced solutions to the goal of connecting all Mainers to reliable, high-speed internet by 2024.

Reach Me Line Extension awards in Caribou

The Maine Connectivity Authority awarded the new funding through its Reach Me program.

$20 Million ‘Reach Me’ Grants to be Matched by $13 Million in Private Investment

MCA announces Reach Me Line Extension program awards.

“There are limited dollars, so we have to make choices,” says Andrew Butcher, president of the Maine Connectivity Authority. “If labor access is prohibitive or even if just geographic conditions are prohibitive, we absolutely are going to need to evaluate how to deploy alternative solutions.”

A Coalition of Local Leaders and Community Partners Will Increase Awareness of Federal Program That Provides up to $30 per Month Toward High-Speed Home Internet.

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MCA continues to grapple with mapping misalignments from the FCC and it relates to BEAD funding.

MCA-funded projects in the Blue Hill Peninsula area come to completion with residents accessing Fidium Fiber in the coming weeks. This will culminate in the MCA event: https://www.maineconnectivity.org/shine-share-event-rsvp-blue-hill

MCA's President, Andrew Butcher, names two key hurdles to broadband access in Maine: the sheer rurality of the state and, on a related note, community capacity to drive demand.

Maine has opted to combine our digital equity and infrastructure planning, so digital equity will be woven throughout the plan being developed by MCA and will also result in a separate stand alone digital equity plan for the state for the first time. The digital equity components of the Broadband Action Plan will be guided by the Digital Equity Taskforce and supported by the Regional and Tribal Broadband Partners.

Access to high-speed internet is not simply a modern luxury, but a way for people to access the resources they need. The Maine State Library's pilot telehealth program is one such example of how technology can support health equity. The Maine State Library system also partners with the MCA as part of our Digital Equity Task Force.

MCA continues to explore how we can support BUDs as a tool to getting high-speed internet to all Mainers. For more information, check out our webpage: https://www.maineconnectivity.org/buds

MCA attended a press conference in Augusta where Charter Communications announced its investment of over $80 million into broadband across Maine. By supporting public-private partnerships that leverage local resources with private investment, we can continue to enable a thriving and competitive broadband market in Maine that can address our goals of universal, affordable connectivity for everyone as soon as possible.

MCA"s President, Andrew Butcher, explains mapping challenges related to BEAD funding.

MCA continues to balance its mission to connect as many households as possible with high-speed internet as possible, with the desire of some communities to develop and fund their own infrastructure projects.

Regional and Tribal Broadband Partners, funded by MCA, work to ensure all voices are heard to inform the Broadband Action Plan by organizing in-person community listening sessions and focus groups.

MCA launches the Maine Broadband Survey to collect feedback which will inform the statewide Broadband Action Plan.

MCA Awards $8.8 million to Skowhegan and portions of Madison, Cornville, and Canaan through the Connect the Ready program.

At a recent MCA Board meeting, the Board of Directors discussed a recently drafted letter to Charter Communcations. The content is included below.

Maine Connectivity Authority and community members are celebrating more than 10-million dollars of investment for broadband expansion in Skowhegan, Madison, Cornville, and other communities.

The Maine Connectivity Authority has awarded the money to the towns through a partnership with Consolidated Communications.

A new report says Maine could soon face a shortage of as many as 4,400 workers in the industry, depending on how fast and extensively broadband access is expanded.

There's a new hurdle in the effort to expand broadband in Maine: a workforce shortage. A recent study suggests some 3,240 additional workers are needed for existing broadband investments across the state.

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Direct Communications will install Fiber to the Premises, or direct fiber-optic connections, to 837 homes and businesses in these unserved areas.

Communities include Bancroft, Brookton, Danforth, Drew Plantation, Glenwood Plantation, Haynesville, Orient, Reed Plantation, and Weston.

Brookton and 10 surrounding communities will get high-speed broadband through an $8.1 million grant announced by the Maine Connectivity Authority this week.

The Maine Connectivity Authority announced more than $34 million in grant funding to expand broadband access in 31 communities across the state.

The Maine Connectivity Authority announced more than $34 million in grant funding to expand access to high-speed, reliable and affordable internet across Maine.

Maine Connectivity Authority Grants Support Expansion of Reliable,
High-Speed Internet in 31 Communities

Recently released federal broadband maps still miss some spots. The Maine Connectivity Authority's new tool allows members of the public to check if their home, camp or business is accurately recorded.

On Monday, Maine Connectivity Authority announced three awards totaling more than $1 million in funding for its Jumpstart Connectivity Initiative.

On Monday, the MCA announced three awards totaling more than $1 million in funding through the Jumpstart Connectivity Initiative

The Maine Connectivity Authority has launched a critical public education campaign called Correct the Dots, a call to action for individuals to check their addresses on new federal internet maps and to file a challenge if the information is incorrect.

The Maine Connectivity Authority has launched a critical public education campaign called the Correct the Dots challenge that will help the Federal Communications Commission in gathering the most accurate information about broadband accessibility and quality across the state.

The Maine Connectivity Authority has launched a critical public education campaign called Correct the Dots

Maine's broadband agency is asking residents to check the accuracy of federal coverage maps.

Maine is receiving $5,542,222.32 in funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law

This money will go towards creating an action plan for the state to provide high-speed internet, targeting communities that would need such services.

The federal government is giving Maine a planning grant of more than $5 million to help communities plan how they want to expand broadband access.

Maine becomes the first state to receive the funding as part of a federal push for broadband improvements meant to give every American access to high-speed internet service.

Although it was a cloudy day in Waterville, an announcement made in one building promised to light the way to the future.

Gov. Janet Mills, along with state and federal officials, is expected to announce a $5 million award that will be used for high-speed internet access throughout Maine.

Competitive grant awards will provide technical assistance and organizational capacity

The announcement event is open to press and there will be an in-person press availability with federal and state officials.

$53 Million proposal for a 530-mile middle mile network submitted to
NTIA’s Enabling Middle Mile Broadband Infrastructure Program

New connectivity programming part of statewide effort to reach the last mile, advance digital equity, and connect the places and partners ready for investment

We can no longer afford to perpetuate an inequitable existence between the haves and have-nots. Access to the internet is now a way of life, and those who are not connected need solutions as soon as possible. The path is still coming into focus, and the journey will not be without bumps, but we can get there from here.

Join us live on Thursday, July 28th, at 4pm ET for the latest episode of the Connect This! Show. Co-hosts Christopher Mitchell (ILSR) and Travis Carter (USI Fiber) will be joined by Peggy Schaffer (Director, ConnectME), Andrew Butcher (President, Maine Connectivity Authority), and Christa Thorpe (Community Development Officer, Island Institute).

The Maine Connectivity Authority has a goal to offer every home and business in Maine a high-speed internet connection by 2024.

A new program expected to bring high-speed internet connections to 22,500 households across Maine is taking a step forward with a market analysis of Maine’s broadband workforce.

The State of Maine will receive $110 million dollars of federal funds to expand broadband coverage.

Maine will receive $110 million in federal funds to expand broadband to about 22,500 homes in the state.

Funding to serve 22,500 rural locations in Maine comes from American Rescue Plan Capital Projects Fund established by Senator King

Gov. Janet Mills reiterated that her goal is for high-speed internet connection to be available to everyone in Maine by the end of 2024.

A $110 million federal investment could provide fast, reliable internet connections for more than 22,000 Maine households.

Maine will receive $110 million in federal funds to provide high-speed internet access for remote locations in the state’s rural counties, federal officials announced Thursday morning.

New statewide connectivity programming will reach the last mile, promote digital equity, and ensure everyone who wants a connection can get one by the end of 2024

Maine will receive $100 million in federal funding to expand high-speed internet to people living in rural areas of the state, lawmakers said.

Starting this fall, the money is expected to be used on projects to reach rural areas.

Gov. Janet Mills reiterated that her goal is for high-speed internet connection to be available to everyone in Maine by the end of 2024.

Kansas, Maine, Maryland, and Minnesota are approved to receive funds under the American Rescue Plan and will connect over 83,000 homes and businesses to affordable, high-speed internet.