BETHEL — Last month, the Mahoosuc Community Broadband Committee announced that it would circulate a survey to residents and businesses in the Mahoosuc area in order to help the Committee decide the best approach for achieving the shared goal of high-speed, affordable, reliable, and future-ready internet service for all residents. The two approaches the Committee is considering are expanding fiber internet service with an incumbent internet service provider, FirstLight, or creating a broadband utility district.
The survey is live and the Committee encourages all seasonal and year-round residents and businesses to fill it out. If possible, please fill out the survey online using this url…tinyurl.com/3fex2rpr. A paper copy of the survey is being mailed to every household, too.
Below are the questions the Committee is asking everyone to answer.
Would you prefer more competition and choice of internet service provider or expansion of existing private providers (i.e., FirstLight, Spectrum/Charter)?
___ I prefer having more than one choice of internet service provider.
___ I prefer that existing internet service providers (i.e., FirstLight, Charter/Spectrum) expand their service to more people in the area.
___ I have no preference.
Would you prefer more local control and responsibility for internet service (cost, customer service, maintenance, and operation) or do you prefer that control and responsibility for internet service be maintained by private internet service providers?
___ I prefer that there is more local control and responsibility for internet service.
___ I prefer that private internet service providers continue to have control and responsibility for internet service.
___ I have no preference.
Would you prefer to invest state and federal grant funding in a locally-owned, revenue-generating asset (i.e., broadband infrastructure) or invest state and federal grant funding in the expansion of an existing privately-owned internet service network?
___ I prefer investing in a locally-owned and controlled asset.
___ I prefer investing in the expansion of an existing private internet service network.
___ I have no preference.
The Mahoosuc Community Broadband Committee thanks everyone for taking the time to fill out the survey and sharing their thoughts about how internet service should be provided in the Mahoosuc area.
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