Beginning of the month The Maine Connectivity Authority board approved two grants totaling $9.6 million that could provide 15,500 homes and businesses along the state’s Midcoast coast with access to reliable, affordable high-speed internet.
Grants for the Partnerships Enabling Middle Mile (PEMM) program are matched by public and private investments from local cities and internet service providers.
The Lincoln County partnership with Consolidated Communications received a $6 million grant. 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 the Waldo County-Direct Communications partnership, supplemented by $1.9 million in private and public investments, including funds from the American Rescue Plan.
Jenna Ingram, communications manager for the Maine Connectivity Authority (MCA), said the pandemic has “highlighted the need for alternative ways to access resources, whether through distance learning or telehealth appointments.” She expressed excitement that thousands of homes and businesses along the state’s coast will soon receive coverage.
Woolwich Select Board member Tommy Davis has been pushing for improvements since 2021 and was pleased to see the approval. He said that not only will locals be entering a new, digital world, but that “Maine will be entering the 21st century.”
Addressing the “middle mile”
According to MCA reports, 1% of Maine towns did not have internet access in June 2024. To ensure no one is left in the digital dark, the organization recently issued a request for proposals for low-Earth orbit satellite providers to fill this gap—a grant program aimed at the “middle mile.”
Ingram emphasized that Lincoln and Waldo counties were selected as award winners and that access to a reliable internet connection strengthens the Mid-Coast tourism economy and creates new economic opportunities, such as “the option to work remotely or offer Wi-Fi as an incentive to attract new customers.”
Lincoln County
Evan Goodkowsky, a broadband infrastructure consultant, estimates that 100 households in Wiscasset will benefit from the introduction of the new MCA grant. Laura Sitterly / The Times Record
In the lead-up to the application, the Town of Woolwich held several public meetings and surveys to hear community opinion. After conducting a feasibility study, Davis said the decision to pool town resources and proceed as a team was unanimous.
“In general, residents were not happy with the internet service landscape,” Davis said. “Many were dissatisfied because they did not have sufficient bandwidth for applications like telemedicine and Zoom, either because those with providers had patchy service or could not afford the plans they needed.”
In 2022, Georgetown created its fiber-based broadband utility service for residents. Local towns, including Woolwich and Wiscasset, explored this option but found a more suitable partnership with an established internet provider, Consolidated Communications.
Although a municipal broadband provider generates revenue, it is still a multimillion-dollar investment that can be difficult to sustain. The decision to join forces reduced costs significantly. Woolwich, for example, agreed to pay $225,000 over two consecutive fiscal years, half at the beginning and half at the end of construction.
The partnership will provide fiber-optic connectivity to 300 early adopters in Woolwich, while in Wiscasset, broadband infrastructure consultant Evan Goodkowsky estimates 100 homes will have access.
In addition, connecting more people to the Internet creates competition among service providers, making fiber optic services cheaper. Davis says it also increases public safety.
“During the January storms, people had no way to call for help,” Davis said. “Fixed wireless and (satellite) services require hardware that, if a customer doesn’t have it, limits their connection. As previous ice storms show, cellular service can also be vulnerable to bad weather. Fiber optic services are the most climate-resilient option.”
Goodkowsky agreed, noting that residents’ lives will change overnight as access to telemedicine, remote learning and work, e-commerce and emergency management services will be improved, calling the project a “win-win across the board.”
Roll out
The next immediate step is the signing of a final contract between MCA, internet service providers and local communities. The paperwork is expected to be completed by 2025.
While the average time from contract execution to project completion is 12–18 months, the phases overlap and can vary in length.
Once the contract is signed, the service provider will complete the necessary approval and preparation steps, which include contacting the owners of utility poles and installing fiber optic internet lines at designated locations.
“Once the preparatory steps are complete, construction can begin,” Ingram said. “MCA is conducting an engineering review of the network to ensure the infrastructure can withstand the weather. It may be months before people on the Mid Coast see the trucks rolling in for the expansion, so we recommend they contact their providers for site details.”
Consolidated Communications is leading the project in Lincoln County and serves Woolwich, Wiscasset, Dresden, Boothbay, Boothbay Harbor, Southport, Edgecomb, Waldoboro, Alna, Whitefield and Nobleboro. Residents are asked to contact the service provider can sign up for real-time project updates.
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