In this case, the money is the last of the American Rescue Plan Act funds that were targeted for expanding broadband coverage nationwide. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Francestown to include every resident in the deployment of 21st-century technology. BMGI is a 75/25 matching grant, where the state will supply up to 75% of the funds and the providers contribute at least 25%. These funds can only be used to reach the 115 or so unserved and underserved addresses, with download speed less than 100 mbps and upload less than 20 mbps.
We had three providers interested in partnering with us: Comcast, HUB66 and Consolidated Communications (CCI with Fidium Fiber). After they presented their plans, it was clear that Consolidated Communications had the most-comprehensive proposal, and the Broadband Committee and Select Board voted unanimously for CCI. In addition to installing fiber to the home to unserved and underserved addresses using the grant, they will put up their own capital to fund running fiber throughout the rest of their current coverage area in Francestown, which is everywhere except the northwest corner, which is already covered by TDS fiber.
The applications were due and submitted to the state on Oct. 20 and are supposed to be awarded in December or January. If we win this grant, the build out would likely start in early 2025.
If we don’t get in on this round, there is still $196 million in the next batch of federal funds targeted for New Hampshire for broadband expansion. These funds are from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) which was signed into law by President Joe Biden on Nov. 15, 2021. These funds will be distributed as part of the Broadband Equity and Deployment (BEAD) program, and there should be another BMGI round or something similar opening up in the spring.
Alfred Eisenberg is chair of the Francestown Broadband Committee.