STATEMENT REGARDING 3-TOWN BROADBAND SOLUTION serving Tolland, Sandisfield and New Marlborough
July 27, 2017
We’re pleased to acknowledge the 3-town broadband consortium including the towns of Tolland, Sandisfield and New Marlborough have successfully negotiated the outline of an agreement to provide our residents with a fiber to the premises network providing a competitively priced Internet, Phone and a Television offerings.
Negotiations with Frontier Communications have resumed and now consensus has been achieved on the outline of final terms. The Massachusetts Broadband Commission, Massachusetts Technology Collaborative and the Governor’s Office have participated in the negotiations. A $35 per month, per premise fee will be charged for basic Internet service. The towns will not be required to bond or pay for construction. This solution minimizes the cost of these services to residents compared to bonding, building, operating and maintaining a town-owned network.
Frontier’s solid commitment to this project includes using the three towns as a model for rural broadband expansion and a pilot for future growth throughout the US.
Frontier is eager to start the project and will break ground during the current fiscal year. It is their hope that the first customers will be lit up by the end of 2018.
The Massachusetts Broadband Institute has been integral in stewarding this process, providing time, expertise, guidance and an injection of funds to bring broadband to each of our homes and businesses. The Governor’s office, through MBI, supports this model and fully endorses moving forward with this broadband solution.
Kevin Donovan
Chairman
Tolland Broadband Committee
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