Broadband CommitteeOrder fiber internet (and optional home phone) services from Fidium Eligible households can apply for a $30 monthly credit through the Affordable Connectivity Program. The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) helps low-income households pay for internet service and devices. You are likely eligible if your household’s income is below 200% of the Federal Poverty Line, or if you or someone you live with currently receives a government benefit like SNAP, Medicaid, SSI, WIC, Pell Grant, or Free and Reduced-Price Lunch. For more information, you can also visit the ACP website.
Background The Broadband Committee is a volunteer group with the goal of bringing high-speed internet to everyone - at a reasonable cost to the consumer and at no cost to the taxpayer. In the latter part of 2020, Committee members have followed the path popularized by the Town of Chesterfield (aka "The Chesterfield Model") to identify and evaluate candidates for a public-private partnership to expand service. Similar efforts and their associated municipal bonds have achieved overwhelming success. The purpose of this webpage is to share information and news relative to this process. Members Doug Batchelder, Mary Guild, Tom Matson, Neal Richardson, Collin Snide, Lisa Steadman, Kristan Tilton, Henry Underwood Get In Touch BackgroundFollowing a request for information to existing internet service providers, the Town published a request for proposals on December 3, 2020 to learn which providers were interested in reaching unserved areas of town through support from a municipal Broadband Infrastructure Bond. The due date for proposals was January 3, 2021. Subsequently, the Committee made a recommendation to the Selectboard and is currently working to help to facilitate the required meetings specified by the requirements of "broadband bonding" (as described in the Monadnock Region Broadband Infrastructure Guide). Meeting Notices & Content 1/27/21 Board of Selectmen Public Benefit HearingA Hearing of the Public vs. Private Benefit Findings on Bonding for the purpose of furnishing, constructing, and installing facilities and equipment to make a Fiber Optic Broadband Network available in the Town. January 27, 2021 @ 7:00 p.m. This meeting was held online via Zoom with optional in-person attendance at the Samuel E. Paul Community Center. January 27, 2021 Recording, Slide Deck 2/6/21 Board of Selectmen Public Benefit Hearing & Public Bond HearingA Hearing of the Public vs. Private Benefit Findings on Bonding for the purpose of furnishing, constructing, and installing facilities and equipment to make a Fiber Optic Broadband Network available in the Town. February 6, 2021 @ 9:30 a.m. This meeting was held online via Zoom with optional in-person attendance at the Samuel E. Paul Community Center. Immediately followed by the Board of Selectmen Public Bond Hearing. February 6, 2021 Recording, Slide Deck Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Letters of Support Trinitarian Congregational Church External Resources Monadnock Region Broadband Implementation Guide Troy Town News Articles Troy Town News (January 2021) see "Fiber: The Fabric of Troy's Future" Troy Town News (February 2021) see "Fiber: The Fabric of Troy's Future"
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