Expanded Internet access coming to rural Maine

Thanks to $25.4 million in Recovery Act funding through the U.S Department of Commerce, broadband Internet access is coming to the western Maine towns of Farmington, Jay, Industry and Wilton and the University of Maine at Farmington, along with many other rural areas across the state.

The project’s plans call for a three-loop-network of 1,100 miles of high-capacity fiber optic cable to be constructed in northern, western and Downeast Maine. Organizers say the “Three Ring Binder” will potentially provide high speed Internet connections to more than 100 Maine communities totaling 110,000 households and 600 public and private institutions.

Included are 10 of the University of Maine System’s campuses and three of the state’s community college campuses to be joined in a high-speed data network. The University of Maine System has been instrumental in pushing for the project’s funding

The fiber-optic “super highway” will also improve communications for 38 government facilities, including 13 of Maine’s county courthouses, 11 county jails and 14 Maine Department of Health and Human Services district offices. In addition, local libraries and schools would enjoy better access to broadband services.

The project is also expected to benefit rural health care providers that will now have direct benefits for the New England TeleHealth Consortium and the Franklin County Healthcare Network in Farmington, as they implement their plans to establish advanced healthcare networks as part of the Rural Healthcare Pilot Program.

It also will be available to Mainers living in the 110,000 homes located within the communities serviced by the Three Ring Binder who sign up for the expanded service. GWI, a Maine-based phone and Internet service provider and a major sponsor of the project, noted that construction of the network of fiber optics will entice a number of new Internet service providers who, as they compete with each to keep prices lower, will only serve to benefit consumers.

The Three Ring Binder will be privately owned and operated by Maine Fiber Company, LLC, and will not be owned or run by any government entity. Maine Fiber, a newly formed private, stand-alone company, will offer access to the network on an equal basis to all carriers and will be under the jurisdiction of the Maine Public Utilities Commission. These carriers will in turn use the capacity to serve Internet providers and telecommunications companies interested in providing service to rural Maine. 

“As envisioned, this project has the potential to finally bridge the divide between the rural and urban parts of our state. And the economic benefits are great,” said U.S. Rep. Michael Michaud after the project’s announcement. “Nationally, it is estimated that for every one percentage point increase in broadband penetration in a state, employment is projected to increase by 0.2 to 0.3 percent per year.”

View a map of the areas to be served by this new high speed network here.