HEARING Part 1 - April 9, 2013 - Town Hall Annex
Number of Residents Attending: approximately 25
Number of Broadband Committee Members Attending: 6
Stan Moss called the hearing of the Princeton Broadband Committee (herein referred to as the BBC) to order at 7:01 pm. Stan presented an overview of the project, which was followed by questions from the attending residents.
A summary of questions and comments received:
- General questions on whether Princeton could work with a major telecom company (Verizon, Comcast etc.) rather than build their own network.The BBC explained why the major carriers are saying no to Princeton and pointed out the trend in the growth of municipal networks nationwide, including Shrewsbury as a local example.
- Several people took issue with using Leverett as an example of a Municipal Broadband success story, since they have not finished their network deployment.The BBC expressed the opinion that Leverett has been a good model for the planning phases of the project so far, but in general agreed that more reference data could be presented. The BBC took the action item to provide additional info from municipal projects that have completed their networks.
- Questions on what makes it attractive for a commercial ISP to manage a system like what has been proposed in Princeton, given that it is unattractive for a commercial telecom to provide service in town.It was explained that for the ISP company it would be a profitable venture, since they would not incur the cost of building the network and would be able to begin operations with an immediate subscriber base. The BBC commented that we expect a competitive bidding environment for ISP selection which should put the town on favorable negotiating terms.
- Several questions relating to who is going to pay for repair and maintenance of the service, and how consumers would interact with them.It was explained that maintenance of the network would be contracted to a service provider and paid for from the monthly subscriber fee. Exact details of this nature would be worded in the final network and ISP contracts, which would not be completed until after the network has been built.
- Multiple people expressed concerns regarding repair costs in the event of a catastrophic storm situation, such as the ice storm of 2009. Questions were raised about whether a fiber optic network would be eligible for Federal disaster relief, if the network could be insured, as well as how long it would take to repair.The BBC indicated that a disaster plan would be created as part of the project. Our initial research suggests that a fiber optic network such as the one proposed would be eligible for federal aid in the event of a disaster, but the BBC took took the action item to confirm this and to do more detailed investigations into private insurance options as part of the plan.
- Questions on whether we had a business plan, and if not, why not?The BBC responded that bringing on someone to create a business plan is underway.
- Question on if public funding could be used to pay for the project rather than through the taxes.The BBC indicated that we have explored federal grants for last-mile telecom, however the major funding for these projects was provided through the American Reinvestment Act of 2010 and those funds have subsequently been exhausted. The committee would continue to research public funding options to mitigate the costs where possible. It was also noted that the MBI project to bring fiber service to the town border was an example of a publicly funded project.
- Related question on whether we could use a financing model where only the subscribers to the system paid for it, rather than all the residents of the town.The BBC commented that such a model had been explored, but was deemed not viable due to several factors, including the inability to fund the design and installation via an incremental subscriber model, and the difficulties with attracting an ISP to run the network if only a portion of the potential residential base were available when operations began.
- Question on why residents should be asked to pay a tax increase for a service that they do not plan on using.Although 97% of the town indicated they would be interested in such a service, the BBC recognized that there will be some who will have to pay a tax increase even if they do not choose to use the service if the project is approved. A comparison was made to other town services that are paid for via taxes such as the schools, senior center, specific road projects etc. that are not universally used by all residents. The BBC also took the action item for the next hearing to present some relevant data on the positive impact the project will have to property values that may be of interest to residents who may not be interested in the service.
- General concern that the Broadband Committee does not have a good handle on the costs involved for the project, and are asking residents to approve a project without specific numbers.It was explained that in this planning phase of the project, the BBC did not expect to have exact numbers for the project cost but had presented estimates for discussion purposes only. The BBC also reiterated that the upcoming may Network Design item on the town warrant represented money to be spent on an engineering design to provide a detailed project estimate, and did not represent a commitment to build the network; the public would have a detailed design and estimate prior to voting on the project and any associated borrowing. It was also noted that the accepted bidder for the installation would be bound to the accepted contract under Mass
law, and would be required to carry a bond to pay for costs if they were unable to complete the project.
- General concern that the town has undertaken other municipal projects in the recent past, such as the windmills, with unsatisfactory and/or unforeseen results and therefore should not be considering another public project.The BBC pointed out the differences in the planning and approach of past projects undertaken by PMLD versus those initiated directly by the town, including early and frequent public involvement, open meetings and hearings, research on other towns undertaking similar programs, detailed engineering design plans, use of an open bidding process for vendors, and so on. The BBC took the action item to summarize these in a subsequent hearing.
- Concern over the existence of underground lines in town, some direct-buried without conduits, and the impact to overall installation costs and/or costs to the specific resident with underground service.The BBC indicated that installation to the home, including underground service where it exists, would be part of the town-wide installation plan and would not be an additional cost to the subscriber. The BBC indicated that the engineering firm providing the network design would survey the town, including the underground service portions, and take them into account as part of the installation estimate. The BBC opinion based on initial survey is that the overall number of road miles with underground service was small, and that in most cases conduit with pulls would be available.
The meeting concluded at 8:45 pm and it was announced that it is scheduled to reopen on 4/24 at 10 am.
Hearing Part 2 - April 24, 2013 10AM - Town Hall Annex
Broadband Committee Members Attending:
Stan Moss
John Kowaleski.
Bill Dino
Ned Utzig
Steve Cullen
Petr Spacek
Attending Residents: 16
The Broadband Committee (herein referred to as the BBC) reconvened the Public Hearing at 10:01 on April 24.
John Kowaleski presented updated slides on the proposed plan.
Questions/Comments from attending residents:
Comment: Fiber is brittle, very expensive to repair.
The BBC responded that while the glass used in the fiber strands is indeed brittle, the fiber cable in the current plan is actually very strong, due to the outside cladding used to protect the cable. In many reported cases the fiber cable has withstood impacts that have broken accompanying electric cables. The BBC did acknowledge that fiber is not 100% unbreakable, and that special equipment is required to repair it when it does break.
Comment: Regarding real estate prices, if you look at Holden/Sterling and other towns our prices are the lowest. Resident remarked that people would avoid coming to town unless there is high speed internet access.
Comment: Unless you live on edge of town and can pick up high speed internet from a neighboring service, you are out of luck. If you have DSL on edge of town, it is very slow. Resident has a consulting company, and has unreliable service. The resident commented on having to drive to Panera Bread to submit bids for his company.
Comment: A resident in the Real Estate business in town commented that they were informed when they started in the business 2.5 years ago that internet is the #1 issue preventing home sales. The Resident gave 3 examples of sales that fell through due to internet, including a couple backed out of a deal because they would be unable to stream movies, another sale that fell through because the buyer needed to telecommute, and another family with school-aged children who needed reliable internet for school purposes.
Question: Is Satellite service, such as Hughes DirecWay, a possible alternative to the plan? Resident noted the advertised speeds are much higher than most people’s current service.
Several residents responded to the question, noting that satellite reception can be a problem and is subject to outages due to snow on the dish. The BBC also added that satellite plans have data caps that preclude even moderate video streaming, and also satellite has latency/delay issues for total round-trip time which make it unsuitable for certain applications, like telecommuting or VOIP/telephone use.
Comment: Resident commented that they do not want to pay for a service they do not intend to use, and that the current plan of paying for the internet infrastructure from the tax base rather than via a subscriber-paid model is unfair.
Discussion/debate on the suggestion occurred here and at other points during the hearing. A related discussion/debate occurred on whether or not internet connectivity constitutes essential infrastructure for a town, like electric or roads. The BBC and several residents felt it was in essence a utility like electric service, water, or sewer.
Comment: Resident commented that the town has been down this path (of initiating a public project) twice, with the windmills and the wireless internet service. Sometimes it does not work, technology changes so fast.
The BBC responded that the current proposed project is being initiated directly by the town versus the municipal light department, and as such is following an open process for discussion, bidding, and voting. A resident commented that comparison of PMLD versus the town may be hair-splitting in some people’s eyes, but the comparison of the fiber project to the windmill project is inaccurate; fiber is a proven, gold standard in use for decades, (versus windmill and wireless systems which are new/changing/less proven). Another resident commented that the Internet is an investment for the town, and will provide additional value through new services. They cited Westfield as an example, a town that installed a fiber network over 20 years ago which has subsequently been paid off, and is still
providing positive value to the town.
Comment: A resident commented that the costs for fiber equipment are more than copper, and cited Old Sturbridge Village as example of a business/location that switched from fiber back to copper because the equipment is cheaper.
The BBC responded that equipment costs for fiber are dropping as its usage grows. By comparison, copper-based equipment is becoming scarcer as the technology fades; the BBC and residents cited examples of Verizon de-certifying DSL lines when they have problems rather than repair them as part of their transition plan away from copper. BBC chair Steve Cullen offered to give some more detailed information on copper versus fiber equipment costs to any interested residents after the hearing.
Question: Will there be enough time from the May vote for design service funds to September vote to complete the design work, so that residents would have more accurate information on the actual cost of the system?
The BBC responded that the network design would not take a very long time and fully expected the information would be available in advance of the September special town meeting.
Question: Why did the BBC opt to go to the town for funding, rather than form a private company and solicit investment funds privately?
A resident remarked that an investment firm or outside company would not find it attractive because they cannot make a short-term profit on it; companies would want to get a return on investment in say seven years. The town by comparison would borrow over a much longer period of time, and unlike outside investors, investors who are residents would see an immediate return on their investment in the form of improved service and lower service costs. Another resident remarked that the size of the investment Princeton represented was too small to be attractive to larger companies, and made the analogy that Price Chopper would never buy Mountainside Café, because the two are vastly different in terms of scale.
Question: What will it take for the various required votes to pass?
The BBC responded that the design warrant article needed a simple majority to pass, but the other warrant article to form a new Telecom entity would require a 2/3 vote, as would subsequent articles such as the votes for funding and debt exclusion in September.
Question: Under the proposed plan, would residents be required to buy the internet/phone bundle, or could they be separated (i.e., could you buy just phone service or just internet?)
The BBC responded that the exact plan details would not be finalized until an ISP is selected, but it is the intention of the town for these to be purchased separately if desired.
Question: Except for savvy users, the jump to VOIP (Voice Over IP) telephone service is a fuzzy one. Maybe BBC could provide info on how to make transition so people can realize savings, and understand that they will pay more vs. less unless they move both phone and internet.
The BBC commented that VOIP is actually already in use as all telephone and cell traffic goes over fiber once it leaves the town. The BBC acknowledged that residents will need to be informed on the details of how VOIP works, for instance the fact that they will not have to change any equipment inside their house. The BBC also noted that the Library, Town Hall, and Public Service buildings will be connected to fiber this summer and will act as a pilot program / demonstration vehicle for telephone service via VOIP.
Question: Is Skype the same as VOIP?
The BBC responded that Skype is a form of VOIP, but it is not a dedicated VOIP service so no quality controls are used for the signal. Dedicated VOIP such as the system proposed for the town would have much better / reliable quality.
Question: as a taxpayer, will I be penalized for using Ayacht? What will happen to antenna system?
The BBC responded that the previous PLMD wireless system has already been sold to Ayacht, and there would be no associated tax penalty or burden to the town regarding the system. Details on the future operation and direction for the wireless system would be decided by Ayacht.
Question: Will residents be able to carry existing phone numbers over to the new system?
The BBC responded that yes, you would be able to carry your number over.
Question: Do we rent poles from PMLD? Will there be costs associated with pole usage?
The BBC responded that the Broadband Committee has come to an agreement with PMLD such that there would be no cost in renting poles.
Question: Will we be paying a manager as part of the new Telecom entity?
The BBC responded that this was still to be decided, but if a dedicated/paid manager is needed, it would be a part-time position, and that it might be more important to have someone at the project start to work out issues. The BBC also commented that other towns don’t have dedicated employees for this.
Question: How many years for the bond?
The BBC responded that the plan is to take out a 20 year bond, currently at a 3-3.5% rate.
Comment: A resident remarked that the network is like the library, its purpose being to disseminate information. They also remarked that the average American uses the internet 2.5 hours a day, and said this compares favorably to the value of a library, also commenting that it is a utility not a frivolous expense.
Comment: A resident remarked that new buyers of house sold did not get DSL even though previous residents had it. DSL lines are given out to the top of the list, new buyers at the end.
The BBC added that DSL lines slowly being de-qualified, as they age they are removed rather than replaced as a part of Verizon’s plan to phase out DSL.
Question: Will we have to replace poles that are too short, at the taxpayer cost?
The BBC responded that PMLD will replace a small number of poles that are short, but these need replacing anyway and the cost is unrelated to the project. A few poles will have to be replaced, but in small numbers.
Question: How many houses in town?
The BBC answered that the Tax Assessor says 1240, but the initial plot survey indicated 1379 potential properties in town.
Comment: Resident observed that Princeton doesn’t have any traffic lights, gas stations, and only has a tiny market. The resident had head there was a potential of about 3,000 lots left in town. They felt that the addition of high-speed internet would increase demand for housing, and wondered if it might make the town more crowded and suburban in twenty years.
A resident responded that if you look at all towns, population grows everywhere. They noted that there has been a 41 percent increase in people who work from home since 1999, adding that now 75% of Amercians use the internet regularly”. They remarked that we have to “get on that train”, and that “we have been left behind; we love flavor of town but I see more bad potential if we don’t do this versus bad if we do it.”
Another resident remarked that high-speed internet may simply have the effect of preventing erosion in property values, rather than spur uncontrolled growth in the town.
Meeting adjourned at 11:18AM.
Hearing Part 3 – May 2, 2013 7pm - Town Hall Annex
Attending BBC Members
John Kowaleski.
Bill Dino
Ned Utzig
Phil O’Brien
Michael Cote
Steve Cullen
Petr Spacek
Attending Residents: 35
Hearing reconvened at 7:01 PM
John K. presented material from the Broadband Committee (herein referred to as the BBC) slide set.
Questions and Comments from Residents:
Question: Why is fiber the future? It seems old / aren’t satellites are the future?
The BBC responded that satellite communication by its nature requires radio waves that communicate over long distances, resulting in noticeable delays that make it unsuitable for use in many situations, such as telephone / VOIP and telecommuting applications. Satellites are a shared/limited resource and thus companies who operate satellite internet service limit total bandwidth use. Fiber by contrast is non-shared (each subscriber effectively gets their own line), and has very high round-trip performance. The BBC also commented that fiber systems have proven to be future-proof since they have been in operation for decades but are still considered the state of the art and are the fastest internet communication medium.
Question: What about radio/cellular internet (4G, etc) services? Aren’t they the newest technology?
The BBC responded that while wireless systems are evolving and are good for mobile communications, they have distinct technical disadvantages when utilized to provide town-wide home internet service. Wireless bandwidth for all users is limited to the speed of the slowest connection on the network, and since many homes must communicate to a single antenna/base station, bandwidth is shared among many home to that point. This approach results in slower overall speeds and also imposed data caps, which are not issues in the high-speed, direct connection design present in a fiber network. The BBC also commented that there are other factors that make wireless systems less reliable, such as issues with varying reception. (Due to weather, foliage, and the general terrain of our
area.)
Question: In response to a BBC comment about Verizon not expanding DSL service in town, a resident asked if the BBC had an authoritative / “in writing” answer from Verizon on the subject.
The BBC responded that our members had talked directly to Verizon at the Vice President level and in an official capacity, and Verizon had flatly refused to provide expanded service to town in any immediate timeframe, even if the town was willing to subsidize the installation of the network. Verizon indicated that their priority is to finish build-out of towns they already committed to, before choosing new markets to expand service in.
Question: I heard that if I move to another house or if I sell my home and a new resident moves in, DSL will not be available. Is this the case?
The BBC responded that our research had found that Verizon maintains a waiting list of people in town who have requested DSL, and as lines free up in an area they assign them to the first person on the list. As a result, people who move into a house that previously had DSL will be put at the back of the list, and may have to wait an indeterminate amount of time to get service, even if the residence previously had DSL service.
Question: Have we looked into public assistance/funding? Why aren’t there Federal or State programs to fund Broadband?
The BBC noted that the Mass Broadband Initiative that is supplying the main fiber line into the access points in town is an example of a State/Federally funded program for Broadband we are taking advantage of. Programs to fund last-mile construction have been available in the past, but funding for such programs is currently exhausted. The Broadband Committee will continue to research and seek public funds if they become available to offset costs.
Question: Can you put the answers to questions asked at the town meeting on the web site?
The BBC responded that the previous BBC Hearing questions and responses had been posted to the web site, and that the current hearing notes would also be posted shortly. (Additionally, we will update our Frequently Asked Questions / FAQ section with questions and responses after the hearings have completed.)
Comment: The costs for this proposal over twenty years are too much; Seniors and those on a fixed income cannot afford funding a luxury like this.
There was subsequent discussion / debate from various other attending residents to the comment, several people taking issue with the characterization of high speed internet as a luxury. The BBC added here and at other points in the presentation that for a very large majority of residents, the increase in taxes paid over twenty years would be more than offset by the resulting increase in property values and by the reduction in internet/telephone costs if the project is completed.
Question: Can people who have land line telephone service replace it with VOIP?
The BBC responded that yes, the current proposal would allow residents to replace their existing land line local and long distance service with a less expensive VOIP service. The BBC noted that the digital/fiber technology used for VOIP to the home is already in use by Verizon to communicate between Princeton and the rest of the phone network, so in some senses all calls in town already are VOIP. The BBC also noted that no equipment change inside the home would be required for VOIP service.
Comment: The town should never have let Verizon install DSL to only a portion of the town; it has had the effect of pitting DSL subscribers against non-subscribers in this debate.
Another resident responded that he was willing to “kiss Verizon goodbye” if there was a better service alternative.
Question: Is there any downside to VOIP service compared to a traditional landline?
The BBC reiterated that all phone traffic goes over fiber and utilizes VOIP eventually, so it is a proven/established technology. Also it was noted that while older VOIP services suffered from line quality problems, the proposed system would utilize reserved/dedicated bandwidth on the network to ensure call quality.
Comment: Resident commented that he had a Metrocast system in a cabin, and with this VOIP system everything is powered off of the grid, lose if you lose power you lose phone service.
The BBC acknowledged that VOIP equipment did require connection to the power grid and some systems were vulnerable to outages if power was lost. The BBC mentioned that we will pursue the use of battery –backup-enabled devices in our system that could allow uninterrupted service for some period of time if power is lost. For longer outages or as a backup in general, it was noted that cellular service could be used.
Question: What about underground cabling? We have a large amount of underground lines in our developments, and some of these have no conduit / are direct buried. Won’t this pose a problem for installation?
The BBC responded that the fiber installation design would take into account the portions of town that have underground service, including individual homes. In cases where an existing conduit cannot be used, the installers will use ditch-digging equipment to lay the fiber cabling along side of the existing electric service.
Question: How reliable will the system be? I have to reset my router all the time.
The BBC responded that while no system is 100% reliable, fiber systems have a very good reliability record where they have been deployed. The superior reliability of fiber versus radio-based wireless systems is one of the factors that contributed to the current proposed design choice.
Question: Do you have a reference town with a successful track record of this working?
The BBC cited several examples of towns that are successfully operating a municipal fiber network, including the town of Westfield MA. which installed its still-used network in the early 1990s and has subsequently paid off all installation costs. Shrewsbury MA also has been operating a municipal fiber network for over a decade.
The BBC also mentioned Rindge, NH. as an example of a town that had recently finished their fiber network and was now taking subscribers, and Leverett MA as an example of a town that had completed their design and funding and was now in the process if installation. Many other towns in Massachusetts are at various points in the process of planning fiber networks to connect to the Mass Broadband system.
Question: What is the “middle mile fee” shown in the monthly subscriber cost breakdowns?
The BBC responded that the Middle Mile Fee represents the cost of leasing bandwidth on the Mass Broadband Network, which is the section of the system that connects our local fiber network to the rest of the Internet. (Thus, it is considered to be the “middle” part of the network)
Question: The current proposed service provides a bundled internet/phone package at a single price. I am not a big Internet user, are there be pricing tiers for people like me?
The BBC responded that we could not provide an authoritative answer on the subscriber packages at this point, because it would depend on what Internet Service Provider (ISP) is selected. Since Princeton would own the finished network, we would have the opportunity to compare ISP plans and to shop for the best value for our residents. The BBC intends to find a plan that provides the best value to residents and which will be affordable for different levels of system use.
A resident suggested that we consider obtaining a plan where business users could buy a premium package for business use, and the extra money could be used to fund a lower-cost plan for Seniors or low income households.
Comment: A resident recently visited Kansas City and was impressed with the Google Fiber system. He felt however that the Princeton proposal could not be compared to Google Fiber, since Google is a multi-billion-dollar company with vast resources.
The BBC commented that the technology that is being proposed for Princeton is actually very similar to what is used by Google in Kansas City, but acknowledged that Google would be able to provide faster overall service because they own the middle-mile network and can provide extremely high capacity (up to 1Gbit/sec) to its subscribers. The BBC believes that Princeton’s subscribers would have a sustained 30Mbit/sec connection as a minimum speed under most circumstances, which is still 10X faster than even the fastest available speeds in town today.
Comment: Talking around town, biggest concern I have heard from other residents is the cost of the system in terms of the effect on our taxes. At first meeting we had rough estimate of about 6 million dollars for the system, which is a lot of money. We realize that this is only an estimate but please do your absolute best to whittle down costs wherever possible.
The BBC responded that we have presented estimates that are conservative, and are hopeful that the actual system expenses and associated costs to residents will be under the projection. We have some evidence from Leverett’s experience that actual bids from contract installers were below the design projections, perhaps in part because of the competitive market that exists today for installation contractors. The BBC added that we will seek avenues to reduce costs wherever reasonably possible.
Question: How do you cover the cost of possible major damage, ice storm, tornadoes etc. Can you buy risk insurance?
The BBC responded that we have discussed risk insurance with PMLD, who said that their experience with it is that it is too expensive to be worth the cost. The BBC added that during our last disaster (ice storm), the town was fully reimbursed by FEMA for costs, excluding only the carrying costs of short-term borrowing needed to repair the system. The BBC has determined that Broadband telecommunications networks fall under the category of essential infrastructure in FEMA’s guidelines and would be eligible for disaster relief if another major event occurred.
For smaller storms and events, the BBC mentioned that a portion of the monthly access fee from residents would pay into a maintenance and depreciation fund that will be used for repairs.
Questions: Given that the plan proposes an Internet/Telephone bundle, why is Television not part of the bundle?
The BBC responded that offering television/cable packages on the network will be technically possible, and is an option should an outside vendor want to provide service on the network, but that it would be prohibitively expensive for the town to create their own cable service due to the equipment and licensing fees involved.
The BBC also noted the current shift to television programming directly from providers over the internet instead of through cable, through services like Hulu, Netflix, Aereo, Youtube, and even the networks themselves. The BBC said we could not promise residents they could replace their current satellite service because not all cable channels are available online, but over time more and more people may be able to take advantage of the cost savings of direct internet access to television.
Question: A resident noted that there is a Federal rural initiative created a fund to supply phone service to rural areas, is there the same funding for internet? Another resident commented that they considered Princeton to be rural and was interested in this idea.
The BBC commented that they had no knowledge of such a fund or Federal directive currently in place, but would continue to monitor developments in this area and would take advantage of any funding we are entitled to.
Comment: A resident felt the BBC was doing a great job, and was very excited about the project. He felt that we have to do something, because the town is essentially dying, and mentioned being unable to sell property due to lack of internet, and being unable to conduct business in town because of the internet situation. He also commented that he understood some people did not want it or felt they could not afford it, but that the town would have more problems without high speed internet than the ones we gain from putting it in.
Comment: A resident expressed frustration with bordering a town that has high speed internet when he does not by saying “I can throw a rock to high speed internet, but can’t get it.”
Question: Assuming we approve the plan and go forward, what is the likelihood that Verizon will come in and want to operate our network?
The BBC responded that Princeton would own the finished network and thus would choose what ISP operated it. If Verizon approached us with an offer to run the network and the terms were agreeable, we could choose them, but we would not be limited to Verizon as a choice since there are many ISPs who would be interested. The BBC also mentioned that it would be unlikely that Verizon would have an interest in operating the network given our current understanding of their priorities.
Question: How long would we contract with the ISP?
The BBC responded that we would probably try to keep the contract term short and would seek the best terms possible. Since the town owns the network we would have the option of renegotiating or switching providers if the ISP turned out to be unsatisfactory.
Question: How long will it take to install the network?
The BBC went through the proposed timeline. Once the network design was completed and funding secured, we would enter a bidding process and select the lowest/best installation bid. Once the installer is selected we expect the network could be installed in 3.5 months. The BBC is estimating project completion by the end of 2014 if not earlier based on our current timeline.
Question: Could Verizon drop us once we start our network install?
The BBC commented that it is unknown, but that we believe that Princeton is an extremely small market to Verizon, and that they would not take strong action to prematurely end service in Princeton, for the same reasons they would not take strong action to increase service.
Question: Will the Broadband Committee dissolve once the project is approved, or will it see the project through to the end?
The BBC responded that we are a dedicated committee, and had put in many hours so far to put this proposal together. The committee is commissioned through 2014, but as a general answer to the question, there is a strong desire by committee members to see this project through to a successful end.
Question: Several residents asked how they can help, how to bring more people to town meeting, and whether the BBC could send out mailings to encourage people to vote for the program, either directly or via the PMLD light bills.
The BBC responded that as on official town committee, we are prohibited from sending out mailings on specific issues, but could only encourage people to come to the meeting in general. PMLD no longer does its own mailing and uses a third party service that does not distribute flyers. (Residents however are of course free to send mailers or solicit residents to vote for or against the project as they see fit.)
Questions: Will a presentation be given at town meeting?
The BBC indicated a shortened version of the presentation will be given, perhaps five slides.
Comment: A resident had talked to a Real Estate agent who commented that the buyer pool had been in Princeton, but that this was mostly the effect of the recession and tightened lending than it was due to the broadband issue.
A resident who has sold real estate in town for twenty years responded that in 2005 we had a “level Internet playing field” with DSL service starting in town. Now it’s changed, surrounding towns have much higher speeds than DSL, and Princeton only has partial service. People move here for the rural lifestyle and they want to work from home but can’t. The resident related a story about a new owner could not get DSL because of the waiting list and the agent had to add the new buyer to the old owner’s DSL account in order to get service. The resident concluded that they did not think we’ll get flocks of people because of the internet service, but felt having it would stabilize the market.
Question: If fiber breaks, how long will it take to repair versus traditional electric or cable repairs?
The BBC responded that fiber can be repaired in approximately the same amount of time, but used different equipment. In some cases, finding breaks in fiber would be quicker than traditional electric cables. The BBC also add that we will have the ability to put language into our bid proposals that mandates the maintenance provider to have local resources available for quick response time to breakages.
Question: When would billing start after installation, and would there be an office in Princeton?
The BBC responded that billing is the responsibility of the ISP, and service and billing could only start up after the ISP is selected. The ISP would be an external company and would not have an office in Princeton, but would have access to maintenance service providers who are local to the area for handling network problems.
Meeting adjourned at 8:45 pm
Respectfully submitted,
Ned Utzig
Princeton Broadband Committee
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