8 Lincoln County towns to get high-speed internet

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

Earlier this month, the Maine Connectivity Authority’s board approved two grants totaling $9.6 million that could give 15,500 Midcoast homes and business access to reliable, affordable high-speed internet.

The grant funding for the Partnerships Enabling Middle Mile (PEMM) program will be matched by public and private investments from local towns and internet service providers.

The Lincoln County and Consolidated Communications partnership received a $6 million award. The project will serve 14,436 homes and businesses in Woolwich (in Sagadahoc County), Wiscasset, Alna, Dresden, Boothbay, Edgecomb, Waldoboro, Whitefield and Nobleboro.

The remaining $3.6 million went to Waldo County and Direct Communications’ partnership, matched by $1.9 million in private/public investment, including American Rescue Plan funds.

Jenna Ingram, Maine Connectivity Authority’s (MCA) communications manager, said the pandemic “illuminated the need for alternative ways of accessing resources, whether through remote learning or telehealth appointments.” She expressed excitement that thousands of Midcoast homes and businesses will soon receive coverage.

After pushing for improvements since 2021, Woolwich Select Board member Tommy Davis celebrated the grant, saying not only will locals enter a new, digital world, but also, “Maine will join the 21st century.”

Addressing the ‘middle mile’
According to reports from the MCA, as of June 2024, 1% of towns in Maine lacked internet access. To ensure no one gets left in the digital dark, the organization recently issued an request for proposals for low-Earth orbit satellite providers to close that gap — a grant program oriented around the “middle mile.”

With Lincoln and Waldo counties chosen as award recipients, Ingram stressed that access to a reliable connection bolsters the Midcoast tourism economy and introduces new economic opportunities, like “the option to work remotely or incentivize Wi-Fi to attract new customers.”

Lincoln County
Evan Goodkowsky, a broadband infrastructure consultant, estimates that 100 households in Wiscasset will benefit from the new MCA grant rollout. Laura Sitterly / The Times Record

Leading up to the grant application, the Town of Woolwich held several public meetings and surveys to gauge the community’s opinion. After conducting a feasibility study, Davis said the choice to pool municipal funds and move forward as a team was unanimous.

“Generally speaking, residents weren’t pleased with the internet service landscape,” Davis said. “Many were unsatisfied because they didn’t have adequate bandwidth for applications like telehealth and Zoom, either because those with providers had spotty service or couldn’t afford to access the plans they needed.”

In 2022, Georgetown created its fiber-based broadband utility service for residents. Local towns, including Woolwich and Wiscasset, looked into that option but found a more suitable partnership with an incumbent internet provider, Consolidated Communications.

Although a municipal broadband utility generates revenue, it’s still a multi-million dollar investment that can be tough to swing. The choice to join forces slashed the cost significantly. Woolwich, for example, agreed to a $225,000 payment over two consecutive fiscal years, half at the beginning and half at the end of construction.

As a result of the partnership, 300 first-time users in Woolwich will receive fiber-service connections; similarly, in Wiscasset, Evan Goodkowsky, a broadband infrastructure consultant, estimates 100 households will have access.

Moreover, connecting more people to the internet triggers competition among service providers, making fiber services less expensive. As Davis claims, it also boosts public safety.

“During January storms, people had no way of communicating for help,” Davis said. “Fixed wireless and (satellite) services require hardware that, if a customer doesn’t have, stints their connection. As previous ice storms show, cell service can also be susceptible to bad weather. Fiber service is the most climate-resilient option.”

Goodkowsky agreed, noting that residents’ lives will change overnight with improved access to telehealth, remote education and work, e-commerce and emergency management services — flaunting the project as a “win-win across the board.”

Rollout
The next immediate step is executing a final contract between MCA, internet service providers and local municipalities. The paperwork is projected to be finalized by 2025.

While the average time from contract execution to project completion takes 12-18 months, phases overlap and can vary in length.

Once the contract is signed, the service provider will complete the necessary permitting and “make ready” steps, which include contacting utility pole owners and attaching fiber internet lines at set locations.

“After ‘make ready’ steps are taken, construction can begin,” Ingram said. “MCA does a technical review of the network to ensure infrastructure can withstand weather pressures. It can be months before folks in the Midcoast see trucks rolling in for build-out, so we suggest they connect with their providers for site specifics.”

Consolidated Communications manages the project in Lincoln County, serving Woolwich, Wiscasset, Dresden, Boothbay, Boothbay Harbor, Southport, Edgecomb, Waldoboro, Alna, Whitefield and Nobleboro. Residents are encouraged to contact the service provider to sign up for real-time project updates.