Today, internet access is more crucial than ever. That’s why it’s been encouraging to see efforts from Maine lawmakers to bring connectivity to every remaining unserved Mainer who still lacks it. State agencies and town select boards across the state are considering how to best close Maine’s digital divide with the significant federal funding that we now have at our disposal.
If our goal is to get all Mainers broadband access as quickly and efficiently as possible, the answer is clear: We must expand existing networks, which cover the vast majority of the state, to the few remaining areas that still lack service.
Some localities are avoiding this guidance and instead attempting to build duplicative broadband infrastructure. These efforts are often well-intentioned. However, the drawbacks of such proposals undermine the goal to get every Mainer online as quickly as possible. These networks take drastically longer to complete and tie up significantly more taxpayer dollars, causing unserved Mainers to be without access for longer while jeopardizing municipal budgets to do so.
Maine’s unserved don’t have years to wait to get online, nor do they have unlimited resources to gamble on risky projects. Let’s partner with the range of existing providers throughout Maine to achieve universal connectivity quickly.
Mark Bryant
Windham
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