MCA Announces New Jumpstart Connectivity Initiative

The initiative will provide funding for between 1 and 4 pilot projects with a total budget of up to $2M to provide accelerated low-cost internet access to the least served areas of the state.

The Maine Connectivity Authority (MCA) is launching the Jumpstart Connectivity Initiative (Jumpstart) to provide accelerated low-cost internet access to the least served areas of the state by trialing the deployment of wireless technology deployments. Target areas are those where service level is estimated to be at or below 25/3 mbps and where wired deployments are currently impractical.

These efforts will be funded with support from the Maine Jobs and Recovery Program both to provide accelerated connectivity to places where there aren’t other viable solutions and to evaluate overall effectiveness of different
technologiesand service models. The goal is to trial technologies that will be rapidly deployed in priority areas and that will potentially scale as a component of the State’s overall connectivity strategy.

The MCA intends to provide funding for between 1 and 4 pilot projects with a total budget of up to $2M. All funded projects will provide internet service to households using wireless technology for middle and/or last mile access.

MCA will hold an Information Session on June 1st, 2022 at 3 PM. Potentially interested applicants can register for the session HERE: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_-hh9NYcZT-6ULrDjutK58g

Applications will be accepted until June 12th, 2022 at 11:59 PM. MCA will hold discussions with project applicants until July 1st, 2022 to determine final scopes, costs, and requirements. Award winners will be notified on or before July 8th, 2022. Projects will be announced publicly on July 15th, 2022.

Click here for FAQs and to learn more: https://www.maineconnectivity.org/jumpstart