Long Island Broadband Exploratory Committee Public Meeting Notes. Summary of Comments, Questions and Answers Presented at the Meeting

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1 Summary of Comments, Questions and Answers Presented at the Meeting 1. Comment: We should consider opening a discussion with Fairpoint s buyer. 2. Question: Internet is becoming pervasive, but are upload speeds as important as download speeds for most users? Answer: For many users download speeds are not as important as upload speeds. For work from home users and some businesses upload speeds are very important. 3. Question: Fairpoint has fiber on the island. Can it be used as the basis for our fiber system and will they work with or allow other providers to use it? Answer: In our meeting with Fairpoint we were told that they do not allow non Fairpoint providers to use their fiber. They did however tell us that if the town built a fiber distribution system and transferred ownership to them that they would connect it to their fiber and operate and maintain the entire system. 4. Question: It was noted that Fairpoint has allowed MSLN (Maine School Library Network) to connect to their fiber and provide symmetrical high speed internet access to our school and library. Would it be possible to get legislative help to allow the town to get access to Fairpoint fiber? Answer: MSLN access to Fairpoint fiber is made possible by federal mandate, is almost totally subsidized by federal money and to be used for school and library purposes. We don t know if our state legislatur be able to change this. 5. Question: If we can t use Fairpoint fiber to connect any network we might build to the internet how would we make this connection? Answer: Using a microwave link to Portland. 6. Question: Would a microwave link require towers to be built on the island? Answer: No. The fire department currently has a microwave dish antenna on Brown s Tower that is used for radio communications. Additional antenna(s) could be located on the tower that could provide a reliable high speed connection between an on island network and the national internet infrastructure. 7. Question: Most of us currently get internet access via our telephone line. Is internet access, like telephone service, a public utility and if not can it be made a public utility? Answer: Internet service, like cable TV, is not a public utility and providers can charge what the traffic will bear to provide it. You may have noticed that Fairpoint recently added a $2.97 surcharge for their DSL service However, as internet access has become more and more important to our economy and to society in general there is talk about making it a public utility. 8. Question: What is microwave? Answer: Microwave is a high frequency radio signal that can be used to encode large amounts of data and move it at speeds approaching the speed of light between widely spaced locations. It does require a line of sight between the two locations and generally uses towers to achieve this. 9. Question: What is the difference between microwave and what Redzone uses? Answer: The Redzone radio signal is a much lower powered signal and although they say it does not require line of sight between sending and receiving locations it is easily degraded by obstacles such as buildings and trees. Page 1 of 5

2 10. Comment by Bri Warner: Bri noted that the town of Islesboro recently embarked on a $3.8 million dollar project to build a fiber based municipally owned broadband system that will provide symmetrical gigabit internet access to every home, business and municipal location in the town.this project was four years in the making and is the first such (island) project in the state. It has been broadly supported by Isleboro residents and property owners. 11. Comment: Although it may not be obvious at this point in time, broadband internet access will become critically important to long term success of our island community. 12. Comment: Broadband internet access may not be as expensive as one would think. In many cases the cost of increased taxes and broadband subscriber fee could be equal or less than what one is currently for telephone, internet and entertainment services. (See item #24 below). 13. Question: What is the next step in this process? Answer: Although we have met with several potential providers of both service and construction management companies, the next step is to have an engineering study done. We have been given estimates of around $25K $50K to have this done. Until we have an engineering study done we can not give a firm estimate of what construction costs would be. 14. Comment: We cannot look at what we think we need now for internet access since what we will need in the future will most like be very different and unimaginable. Fairpoint DSL is good enough for most everyone now but mostly likely we not be in the near future. Committee Member Note: Fairpoint DSL technology on Long Island is currently as good as it will ever be. 15. Comment: Videoconferencing is not possible with our current DSL upload speed. Committee Member Note: Regarding of your DSL download speed (3, 7 or 15 megabits per second) the maximum upload speed provided by DSL is 1 megabit per second. 16. Comment: We can t appreciate how fast the internet landscape will change in the future or how important it will become. 17. Comment: We need to involve the entire community in this project to determine if this broadband internet access project is what we want to do. 18. Comment by Bri Warner: Bri said that the Island Institute was working with a couple of islands on RFIs (Request for Information). A RFI is a standard business process whose purpose is to collect written information about the capabilities of various suppliers. Normally it follows a standard format that can be used for comparative purposes. The Island Institute can help us to do an RFI and it will not cost us anything except the time needed to prepare it. 19. Question: Can we get an RFI done in the next couple of months so we could have results available for our May town meeting? Answer: Yes. 20. Comment: The committee needs to reach out to islanders using LICA and Selectmens Announcement lists, LICA newsletter and possibly Survey Monkey with broadband internet information. 21. Comment: Reach out to parents to find out what their school children need for internet access from home to complete school assignments and homework. Page 2 of 5

3 22. Comment: When communicating with the public minimize technical information when not needed to communicate ideas. 23. Question: How much faster would the proposed gigabit fiber network be than our current DSL? Answer: Gigabit download speed is 300 times faster than 3 megabit DSL, 140 times faster than 7 megabit DSL and 70 times faster than 15 megabit DSL. Gigabit upload speed is 1000 times faster than 1 megabit DSL. 23. Comment: When considering internet access speeds remember that your internet connection is shared by all members of the household using a computer, smartphone or tablet. This can reduce your effective speed quite a lot. 24. Comment and Question: The library is currently using voice over internet for telephone service and it works very well. How much does this cost? Answer: The library is using a voice over internet device call MagicJack. MagicJack provides unlimited local and long distance calling, caller ID, voice mail, 911 service and the ability to keep your existing landline number for about $4 per month. This service is saving the town about $300 per year. 25. Comment: The committee needs to explain in nontechnical terms how important broadband internet access is to the future of our town. One suggested method of doing this would be to have have non committee members write short articles to be published weekly on the LICA list explaining what it means to them and the impact on various island activities and programs such as telemedicine, working from home (including school work), aging in place and keeping all islanders involved in the life of the town. Comments Received via e mail Prior to Meeting Comment #1 Thank you for all your hard work on researching the possibilities of dependable, fast Broadband internet for the Island. We wholeheartedly support the concept and think your recommended Option is a good one. In order of importance, High speed dependable Broadband is our top priority, With Cell phones and the amount of channels available over the digital airwaves plus the rapidly expanding internet based tv, cable and phone are not as important to us. as important to us. Dependable fast internet allows us to spend more time at the Island in the Summer and still fulfill work communication responsibilities. We also support the idea of town paying for infrastructure through long term bond. We hope the monthly rates will include a 6 month plan as well as the 12 month plan. Page 3 of 5

4 Comment #2 Hello, I know there are a lot of issues with internet speed on the island but I would like to say that I have Fairpoint through my land line and we have had up to 5 people using it at once with more than enough speed and capability. Granted I'm not trying to upload huge files but I have uploaded and sent files as well as pictures with no issues. What I'm afraid of is that somehow the taxes are going to go up for us so that the people who want super speed Internet are happy. My two cents are that for me and at times 4 teenagers the internet through Fairpoint is adequate as well as only $29 a month for unlimited data. Comment #3 Remember There are a lot of people on the island that don't use the internet or seldom use it. As far as I'm concerned my internet speed is more than adequate. I'm not interested in spending more money for something I don't need. Comment #4 I read through the document on broadband for Long Island. I have owned a home on Leavitt St for 2 years now. I have been using Fairpoint DSL which is acceptable for normal internet access. However, I work from the island on occasion which requires higher speeds for acceptable productivity. If I m working on a critical project which has a tight schedule, I cannot work from the island as it just isn t fast enough. I am excited to have broadband to be able to work more often from my home. The price range you quoted is very reasonable, especially if it includes VOIP phone service. Where my home is located, cell phone service is near 0. Having a land line would be a huge advantage. I currently have to use Skype which is also slow over Fairpoint DSL. I would also be willing to accept a slight increase in my tax rate to pay for this service, but I realize this may be unfair for those that do not need this service. Thanks for your effort on this issue Comment #5 Thank you so much for your hard work. Could I please have the report electronically? We receive mailings for property owned by multiple family members and I would like to share. Thank you. Page 4 of 5

5 Comment #7 We ve talked in the past. Your report looks good. It explains the options well and makes a good case for FTTH. Mark Greene shared most of this on a ferry to Portland a few months ago. As I ve said before, I m grudgingly paying for Fairpoint s top end service. It s more than I m paying in Boston for 50/50 triple play. I d gladly pay at least as much as I m paying FP for FTTH. Let me know how I can offer additional support. Have you considered a charitable organization? Perhaps to kickstart the engineering? Page 5 of 5