In a legislative committee meeting Tuesday, Gov. Janet Mills called the proposal ‘one of the most important pieces of legislation’ this session.
broadband
Biden wants local governments to provide broadband internet. Could they compete with Comcast and Verizon?
Critics, including Republican lawmakers and the cable industry, say the taxpayer-funded networks are unfair competition, discourage private investment, and are ill equipped to keep pace with technology.
Bipartisan plan would create Maine agency to expand broadband, with federal dollars
The Maine Connectivity Authority would be given the power and discretion to coordinate a statewide buildout of high speed internet, instead of a patchwork of local and private-sector initiatives.
Commentary: Broadband is good. Sprawl is not. How can Maine have one without the other?
Critical to success are multiple-community planning and engagement as well as local leadership.
COVID-19 stimulus bill to create $500 million windfall for Maine towns and cities
The huge package passed by Congress will provide cash-strapped local governments a substantial source of additional revenue over the next two years, and some already have ideas on how to use it.
Our View: Broadband funding is a new New Deal
Like rural electrification in the 20th century, internet access and affordability could improve lives in the 21st.
Large investment to bring broadband to Islesboro pays off
A $4 million project to bring $30-a-month high-speed internet to the small island off Lincolnville has made a heavenly difference, residents say.
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Editor’s Note: This story is part of a special, two-part report is part of a continuing series on poverty in Maine, and the strangling affect poverty has on our communities. We look at how vital broadband accessibility is for our schools, our businesses and our health. The work is being done in cooperation with the […]
Maine map gap: Bad federal maps muddle route to better broadband
State and federal maps offer little more than a vague impression of where high-speed internet exists and where it does not.
Franklin County’s high-speed internet question — will residents pay to bring service to town?
Carthage, Weld, Temple, Wilton and Perkins and Washington townships face that question at town meetings over the next several months. All six need to agree to make a proposed $10 million project a go.