Town of Heath

Heath residents can now go to whipcityfiber.com/heath to sign up. Mohawk estates is not yet ready for signup, but should coming soon. Check back for updates.

State-of-the-art Gigabit Service for $75/month*. Here’s what’s included:

• FREE installation while funds hold up.
• FREE equipment and Wifi • No contracts
• Optional full service phone for $19.99/mo ( + taxes and fees)
• OR, Phone-only service without internet for $49/mo ( + taxes and fees)

*One-time $99 activation fee is required. Slower economy plan available for $59/mo. Phone only service available for $49/mo (+taxes and fees).

We don’t offer TV service, however once you have true broadband, there are numerous TV and Movie Streaming services available online. To find the best package with the channels you like, go to suppose.tv.

DROP POLICY

The complete Heath DROP POLICY is a downloadable file available at the Town website www.townofheath.org.

CONSTRUCTION SEQUENCE FOR EACH FIBER SERVICE AREA (FSA):

1. Strand installation
2. Cable installation
3. MST installation
4. Fiber splicing construction
5. Network testing
6. OPM network certification
7. release network to Heath MLP

FSA’S AND ESTIMATED SCHEDULE:

Below you will find a street listing and the FSA (Fiber Service Area) in which your street is located.  The construction of the network and drops to the premises will start with FSA 2, then 1, 3 and 4.  Each FSA will be “lit up” after its completion.

Revised schedule for drops to roads by Fiber Service Area (FSA):

FSA 2: forecast release date 2/1/21

Branch Hill, 3 Colrain Stage, Dell, 81-291 Rte 8A, Judd, Knott, Ledges, Long Hill, Rowe, Royer (except #18 in FSA3), Sherman, W. Main, 1 E. Main

FSA 1: forecast release date 5/10/21

AL Stetson, Bellor, Brunelle, 323-713 Rte 8A, Groll, Jacobs, Number 9, Sadoga, State Farm, Stone Hill, Sumner Stetson, Underwood Hill, W. Branch

FSA 3: forecast release date 9/13/21

Avery Brook, Bassett, Bray, Burrington, Center Heath, Colrain Stage (except #3 in FSA2), E. Main, Flagg Hill, Flagg Hill ext., Hosmer, Ingraham, Ledges (remaining portion), Royer (#118), Schoolhouse, South, Swamp, Taylor Brook, Rown Farm, W. Hosmer

FSA 4: forecast release date 11/1/21

Mohawk Estates

To learn more and to ensure you are kept up to date on the latest broadband news contact heathbroadband@gmail.com so we can add you to our contact distribution list. Please let us know if you have questions or any challenges signing up for broadband service.

Check back for updates.

Heath Broadband Update August 11, 2020

To learn more and to ensure you are kept up to date on the latest broadband news contact heathbroadband@gmail.com so we can add you to our contact distribution list.

Progress has begun in earnest in building Heath’s Fiber Broadband Network.  The utilities have finished making ready for the main photo optic fiber cable to be placed on poles throughout town.  The next phase of construction, actually attaching the network fiber line on the poles along Heath roads, is to begin in September.  A construction kick-off meeting is now scheduled for August 28 where representatives from our project manager Westfield Gas and Electric and their fiber internet team (Whip City Fiber) will meet with our construction contractor (TriWire Engineering) and representatives of our Heath broadband committee to review procedures, contacts and final arrangements.

The planned schedule for building the connections (“drops”) from the main fiber line “at the curb” to each subscriber’s premise will begin after the main fiber line is in place for each of our four fiber service areas.  These areas are described by specific roads shown below and the estimated timeframes it is expected to take to completion.  These timeframes may be affected by weather and other progress barriers experienced, but we are hopeful that any delays will be avoided or minimized.

A marketing plan is being developed so that everyone will have an opportunity to learn about the details and subscribe to the fiber network for internet and/or phone service.  There will be a Kick-Off period for signing up and lots of details and time for questions will be available at that time.

The engineering design for our town plans for a drop to each eligible premise.  An estimated cost for the installation has been completed for each.  These installation costs will be discussed during the signing-up process for those who wish to subscribe to the service.  They vary from about $780 to the most complicated of about $6000.  In order to encourage the most subscribers possible to make the network best able to pay for itself, a drop credit of up to $3000 will be available for each eligible drop.  More than 97% of subscribers in Heath have an estimated installation cost less than this credit.  In order to receive the credit, one must subscribe before a deadline date after which the credit will not be available.  This deadline will be set once the construction actually begins and will allow enough time for exploring options.

It is important to know that this Fiber Network business is owned by the Town of Heath and has been afforded, with help from state and federal sources, by the tax payers of Heath.  The more subscribers there are, the more efficient and cost effective the network will be and the sooner any surplus will be able to be turned back to the town.

The cost of subscribing once the drop is completed and operational is published on the Heath page of the WiredWest and Whip City Fiber website.  https://wiredwest.net/  and http://www.whipcityfiber.com/heath/.     The standard 1 Gigabit internet service will be $75 per month.  An economy version for 25 Megabits will be available for $59 per month.  Internet phone service will be $19.99 per month plus fees and taxes.  Phone only with no internet will be $49.  There will be a one-time start-up registration fee of $99.

After subscribing to the network, the construction of each drop will be arranged by appointment with the subscriber who must be present (or represented) to allow entry into the premise for the interior installation.

To learn more and to ensure you are kept up to date on the latest broadband news contact heathbroadband@gmail.com so we can add you to our contact distribution list.