Project Overview

WiredWest is designing a fiber-optic network that will enable high-bandwidth, affordable internet, phone, high-definition television services and ancillary services to all residents, businesses and institutions who are interested, in participating towns. A comprehensive project description is available here.

The design, building and operation of the network adheres to the following principles:

Universal service:

WiredWest will endeavor to serve every household, business and institution that is interested in service, in WiredWest participating towns.

Reliable, robust, future-proof technology of fiber:

Building a high-capacity, universal network for our region is essential – but upfront costs are also high. Thus, the network must last a long time and be capable of highly scalable, economic upgrades as needs increase. The only technology capable of delivering on this premise is fiber-to-the-home.

Financial self-sufficiency:

While it is justifiable to build a universal public service with taxpayer funds – which is the focus of efforts of the Massachusetts Broadband Institute with their proposed construction of backhaul and middle-mile infrastructure that will feed our proposed network – the “last-mile” network we are proposing will adhere to a business model that raises money independently of property taxes, and supports itself from subscriber revenues.

Community-ownership:

One of the reasons we don’t have fiber in rural areas today is that building the required infrastructure does not offer enough profit for the business model of private sector telecommunications companies. Unlike the high costs of capital, and profit requirement of the private sector, municipal capital investments can be written off over a longer period of time, and cost less to borrow and repay..

Communities are also driven by the “common good” principle of providing critical infrastructure that serves a larger constituency: individuals, businesses, schools, government entities and service providers. It not only provides the constituency with the essential tools to prosper, but also becomes a regional asset that employs people in the construction and operation of the network, and pays revenues for services back to the region. Even the Federal Communications Commission has endorsed community broadband as a “best practice” for bringing broadband to underserved communities.