Topic: Community Infrastructure

BACKGROUND Digital Literacy Digital literacy is having the knowledge and competence to use a digital connection to the internet. Improving digital literacy drives support for better connected communities. If residents have familiarity with accessing the internet, it supports the growth of business, workforce development, healthcare access, civic engagement, student education,… SEE MORE

BACKGROUND High speed internet connectivity comes to your community and to your home at a cost. Monthly (or annual) payments can be expensive for customers, and in many cases, there could also be an increase in taxes for those same customers if their town financed the capital cost of the… SEE MORE

Providing public access to the internet for your community's residents and visitors is a great way to boost the quality of the experience they have, and the economic activity that occurs, in key areas of the community. Setting up WiFi hotspots in downtown or other public areas is a fast… SEE MORE

BACKGROUND Cliff Island, the last stop on Portland’s Casco Bay Ferry, has historically suffered from slow internet speeds. As the 21st century has progressed, Americans have come to expect high-speed, reliable internet to be as accessible as running water or electricity. Because of this trend, Cliff Islanders began to question… SEE MORE

BACKGROUND Providing high-speed and reliable internet to a rural area offers a number of logistical challenges. One of the most pressing issues is finding the money to fund the projects, because most internet service providers (ISPs) do not serve rural areas due the lack of economic incentives. In densely populated… SEE MORE

BACKGROUND As recent as the mid 2000s, the only way to get internet on the Cranberry Isles was by visiting the school or the library. It wasn’t until 2007, that Redzone brought internet out to the rest of the island, and the service didn’t come anywhere close to achieving broadband… SEE MORE

To help fund broadband projects, the ConnectME Authority awards grant funding to Maine communities. ConnectME offers planning grants for designing projects and infrastructure grants for construction. The Diamond Cove Association on Great Diamond Island partnered with an internet service provider to obtain an infrastructure grant. Visit the ConnectME website for… SEE MORE

A feasibility study provides information on existing infrastructure and needs. Broadband is an effective way to address some of the challenges associated with island life. High-speed internet can provide economic, educational, medical, and other benefits without the need for physical connectedness. In order to best determine baseline connectivity and community… SEE MORE