Now for some general questions about Broadband service:

What is Broadband?
ANSWER: Broadband is a capacity/speed standard that is established for the internet. The FCC establishes that baseline and states may set their own. In Maine broadband is 100mbps download and 100mbps Upload – symmetrical service. The FCC broadband standard is currently 25/3 though there is an effort by some members of congress - Led by Senator Angus King (in part) - to get the FCC to increase it to 100/100.

What changed from last year to make this happen?
ANSWER: , COVID19 and the financial incentivization of broadband from both state and federal entities have made the problems communities face much clearer and have provided valuable financial resources that can supplement community financial needs – from planning to implementation..

Why would I change from my current Axiom service? – I think it’s good enough.
ANSWER: It may be good enough for you today, but DSL service over copper wires is a fading technology and will eventually be phased out by the industry as the wires and equipment age. However, if you want to keep your old DSL service for now, you can at the current price, but there may be a connection charge if you wait until after the first year of the new fiber rollout.

I don’t use the Internet at home – I just watch TV and use the phone.
ANSWER: As an example many TV services are available  over the internet – you may not know that. In the near future phone companies (including Consolidated) will be making a push to get rid of copper technologies and go to fiber, and voice over internet protocol (VOIP) will become the norm. What you use today will not be what you or those that may own your home in the future will need or use.   AND you can get rid of your Dish/Direct TV and replace it with cheaper broadband access.

What’s better about fiber? We’ve had copper for a long time.
ANSWER: Exactly – copper has been around a very long time, and it is a medium that is prone to variations in manufacturing and degradation issues that affects performance. Those variations come from manufacturing, corrosion, as well as external damage. Fiber is glass and is pure. It relies on light and the laser’s capabilities determine the performance limitations, not necessarily the fiber. 

I have a long driveway and it’s expensive to get services to my house – what’s different about this?
ANSWER: The goal of this effort is to get to everyone, not just those close to a main road but every home on the island will be able to be served at no cost to the homeowner. Homeowners can get fiber just the way they now get phone and electric service.

What happens 10-20 years from now? Are we going to do this again?
ANSWER: No. Fiber is considered future proof. It’s primarily the laser’s capabilities (what sends the information over the fiber) that determines the performance limitations. But yes- improvements in fiber technologies may surpass what we install but not to the point what we have is obsolete.   We deal with “megabits” today - tomorrow it’ll be gigabits. After that terabits and beyond. Fiber can do that and laser improvements will be able to do that as well. 

Will I get the service they advertise
ANSWER: Yes.

Will my fiber service be more expensive than what I have now? 
ANSWER: Yes – but it’s all relative. Fiber is more cost effective overall because the cost per mega bit is less. The base level of service will also be better than what you have today with DSL or satellite. Will you pay more? Your chosen level of service will define that answer and cost will be a factor in the decision process. 

Do I need to change anything in my house to make this work?
ANSWER: No. Fiber can exist in your house as it is built today. If you have a large structure and wifi will not reach areas adequately you may need to install a mesh system – a system to enhance wifi within a structure and that exists today.

I’m only here part of the year and don’t need it all the time.
ANSWER: Axiom and the Committee are looking out for the seasonal residents with a seasonal rate and a rate for those who use security systems or  furnace alarms . You have a future proof internet connection that will allow you to monitor and protect your valuable seasonal home more economically yourself.  

How does fiber change how I live today or in the future if I don’t use the internet at home?
ANSWER: Everything. You can buy any TV and watch it in the definition 10k or 3d or whatever the future brings. You can talk and see your caller on the home phone, you can talk and see your doctor without taking the boat and driving to Portland (or wherever) and waiting in a waiting room…. The list is endless.

I’ve got Axiom and I use their basic service – that’s all I need. How does fiber benefit me?
ANSWER: One big benefit is that the value of your home may increase as much as 3% according to studies and the resale when the time comes immensely benefits through your future proof fiber service, and the same is true for rental values.  The basic service is targeted at a symmetrical service level I.E. 100/100 – not 25/3 or 100/10, or 6/1, which is what most households have now.

I just got Starlink – why would I change? 
ANSWER: CONGRATULATIONS! – If you’re switching from DSL (as an example) to Starlink you’ve taken a big leap. But Starlink was built for those places hard to reach via wired service or for those areas where internet capacities are poor because of existing service – like DSL. It is not targeted for cable TV users or most definitely fiber users.
1. Starlink is affected by the environment as a wireless service and relies on space-based equipment with latency issues fiber does not have.
2. Some weather situations will degrade it – so will trees and other obstacles, so it is not available to everyone, nor was it planned to be.
3. The cost for fiber will be well less per symmetrical megabit than Starlink will be able to provide and Starlink is not symmetrical.

What if I just want a Phone?
ANSWER: With fiber you will be able to subscribe to a more affordable phone connection than conventional copper - with voice over internet protocol (VOIP). VOIP has come a long way and will eventually replace traditional copper phone lines for reliability and affordability.

But I don't like my DSL Provider...
​ANSWER:  With fiber, service calls will dramatically decrease (dramatically) and performance issues a non issue. Their past issues will disappear and those supporting fiber will be in a far better place - their #1 issues will be gone!

Why is the FCC definition of Broadband still 100/20?
ANSWER: As of April 13, 2022 the FCC still has only 4 members on the board and they are split regarding the definition.. The 5th member is held up in the senate for confirmation.

Why are they against 100mbps/100mbps?
Answer: ATT, Comcast, Verizon, Charter (Spectrum) etc. are all against the change because their services (I.E. coaxial cable, 4glte...) would no longer be considered as broadband - pretty simple. Fiber providers - generally - and others are for the change. Some providing both may not be, so the picture is muddied. When it's 100/100 the change will be clear. 

Why do I need symmetrical - or why does anyone?
ANSWER - one of them...: Symmetrical allows someone or some thing sending information to have the information transmitted on an equal basis with the entity sending the information in other direction. Every transmission is treated equally. One example: a doctor operating takes an action and sees the action visually even though it might have physically occurred thousands of miles away. Timing counts - think of a hearing test over the internet. Another example: You are communicating with another - be it verbally or a game and your action requires a counter action as if you were in the same room. 100/10 means your block happens but it is never in time - always late.  With 100/100 you are in synch and see and respond at the same time.

Will Wireless replace Fiber?
ANSWER: Every internet/cellular/streaming (I.E. TV) service uses fiber. Though it may be more cost effective to build wireless services they are fed by fiber technologies. Call someone 3000 miles away on your cell phone (as an example) - it goes to the nearest tower that serves your phone provide (roaming or otherwise). It then goes via fiber to the tower nearest to the person you are calling via fiber and then to their phone. All undersea cables are fiber and all satellite services use fiber to get information to the ground station that sends and receives information from satellites and which then transmits it to the appropriate station that then transmits that information to a satellite that then serves the intended receiver of the information. Speed of light (enabler) and line of sight (lOS) (restrictor).

No one needs 50Mbps upload (or 30Mbps is good enough…)
ANSWER: A user’s desire and need to use 50mbps or 1 gbps for upload/download is up to the user – especially if they have the choice. Time is important for many reasons – personal, work, education, etc.   though a user may not send or generate data that matches a capacity available (e. 1 gbps), the user still accesses that “speed” potential – no matter what they send. 50mb of data uploaded still travels at 1gbps and gets to the receiver 20 times faster than at 50.
          Backup 500gb of data at 1gbps - it takes 500 sec (8.3 min)
          Backup 500gb at 50mbps – it takes 10,000 sec or 166.6 min (2.8 hrs)
          Do you have the time to just sit and wait…?