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Timeline Prepared for All Town Meeting

Timeline Prepared for All Town Meeting

Published July 26, 2020

In December 2018, Charlemont citizens voted to establish a  broadband fiber to the home (FTTH) network. Since then the Broadband Committee, our partner Westfield Gas and Electric (WG&E) and town officials have been working together to make this a reality.  Much has been accomplished, and many exciting milestones will happen in the next few months, culminating with our sign up campaign in early 2021.

Many thanks to Mary Ellen Banks and Valentine Reid for preparing these timelines for display at Charlemont’s All Town Meeting held at the Charlemont Fairgrounds on Sunday, July 26 at 1 PM.

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Verizon Make-Ready Quietly Continues

Verizon Make-Ready Quietly Continues

Published July 21, 2020

Verizon crews were spotted on Mountain Road this week doing make-ready work! Although Verizon has not officially “mobilized” crews in Charlemont, they have been spotted occasionally doing some make-ready work as their schedules permit. Every little bit helps! Any acceleration of Verizon’s make-ready schedule, currently expected to be complete at the end of 2020, would directly impact the overall timeline for completion of our municipal fiber network.

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Progress On Verizon Make-Ready!

Progress On Verizon Make-Ready!

Published July 12, 2020

Although Verizon’s make-ready is not officially underway, the company is working in select areas of Charlemont as time allows. Recently Verizon has approved one more of our utility pole licenses ahead of schedule! Because this pole preparation work is driving the overall timeline for the municipal fiber network, completing this make-ready ahead of schedule is the best way to speed up the delivery of service.

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2020.07.09 Select Board Update

2020.07.09 Select Board Update

Published July 10, 2020

Charlemont Municipal Fiber Network
Selectboard Status Report
July 9, 2020

Summary
National Grid has completed make-ready. Verizon has approved two licenses (out of 17) but the estimated final completion date is still December 31, 2020. This is the main schedule driver. Based on this date, we anticipate starting construction of the distribution network in April, 2021. We plan to complete four “path preparation” projects this summer to be ready to install the distribution network: Tower Road, Warner Hill Road, Heath Stage Terrace and Hawk Hill Road. Construction of the network equipment room is nearly complete; electronics could start being installed later this year. So far, the project remains on budget. We are planning for town borrowing in FY21, although we plan to delay the borrowing as long as possible to reduce the cost to the town.

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Long Bridge Crossing Make-Ready Underway

Long Bridge Crossing Make-Ready Underway

Published June 8, 2020

Make-ready is underway at the Long Bridge crossing! National Grid is working steadily preparing the utility path for our final design for crossing the railroad tracks at a public way. This approach will save almost $12,000 annually in lease payments and the costly insurance required by the railroad for utilizing the existing utility path aerial right of way.

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Pandemic Response: State and Local Officials Discuss Options for Accelerating Broadband Timeline

Pandemic Response: State and Local Officials Discuss Options for Accelerating Broadband Timeline

Published June 1, 2020

“Is there any way we can speed up the buildout of Charlemont’s municipal fiber network?”

Citizens, Select Board members, state officials, and the Charlemont Broadband Committee are discussing ideas for accelerating the completion of our 1-gigabit symmetrical fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) network service to meet the demands necessitated by the coronavirus response.

With National Grid on track to complete work in June, our schedule is dependent on the completion of make-ready by Verizon. Working with Verizon to reduce their make-ready timeline is the single most effective way to speed up Charlemont’s build-out. There are encouraging signs that some of this work has begun in town ahead of schedule.

Charlemont Broadband has been working hard to ensure that whenever make-ready is completed, even if significantly ahead of schedule, we are ready to go!

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