On Tuesday, July 29th, The Massachusetts House and Senate both voted in favor of passing the IT Bond Bill, which contained $50 million in funding to support the build out of last-mile broadband service in unserved areas of the Commonwealth. The following day, the bill was enacted by the Legislature and sent to the Governor for [...]
Considerable progress is being made toward financing last-mile broadband in western Massachusetts. After a long period of little activity in the state legislature, the IT Bond Bill is on the verge of passage, with $50 million allocated to the Massachusetts Broadband Institute (MBI). WiredWest has been working on a mechanism for the borrowing authority of its [...]
WiredWest is actively pursuing financing from federal and local sources, seeking to raise about $50 million to match the approximately $50 million for last‐mile broadband in the IT Bond Bill pending in the state legislature. The Federal Communications Commission requested “Expressions of Interest” for what it calls, “experiments” in rural broadband deployment by “non‐traditional” entities. [...]
WiredWest continues to engage with the Massachusetts Broadband Institute (MBI) about deployment of last-mile broadband in western Mass. WiredWest Executive Director David Epstein participates in MBI’s “kitchen cabinet,” a group formed by MBI to assist it in formulating its last-mile strategy and which includes several consultants with expertise in broadband, as well as executives of MBI [...]
WiredWest continues to focus our strategy and efforts on four key areas: 1) Supporting the passage of the IT bond bill 2) Partnering with MBI on developing the last-mile network 3) Seeking the additional funds needed for its construction and operation 4) Working closely with our member towns to assure local participation in the project [...]
The prospects for providing residents and businesses in western Massachusetts with high-speed internet and other broadband services were significantly enhanced this spring when Governor Deval Patrick filed an IT bond bill with the state legislature that included $40 million for last-mile broadband infrastructure. The funds are to be administered by the Massachusetts Broadband Institute (MBI), [...]
This August will be the WiredWest Cooperative’s second anniversary. It has been a busy two years that included completion of the following network planning tasks: Creation of a map database of utility poles, roads and structures High level network design and cost estimates Market Research Financial modeling and financing strategy development Economic impact study Development of printed materials Maintenance of a marketing [...]
Last week at Farmington River School in Otis, Governor Patrick celebrated the launch of the first segment of the MBI 123 middle-mile broadband network, which will bring fiber-optic connectivity to Community Anchor Institutions, including town and city halls, libraries, schools, and public safety and health care facilities, in 124 towns in Western Massachusetts. The installation [...]
WiredWest has received a number of inquiries about service on the state’s fiber-optic network, MBI 123, which is lighting up in Western Massachusetts beginning this March. The MBI 123 middle-mile network was built to serve as wholesale backhaul for last-mile networks and to connect Community Anchor Institutions (CAIs). It will not serve homes and businesses [...]
2012 was a busy year for WiredWest that included the addition of 16 new towns to the Cooperative, bringing the current membership to 42 towns eager to work together to create a long-term, comprehensive solution to the problem of inadequate broadband access. Regular meetings of WiredWest’s organizational bodies were conducted throughout the year, with Board [...]