GOSHEN, Mass. – Public and private money will be used to bring high-speed Internet to 32 rural communities in Massachusetts over the next two years under a new law signed last week by Gov. Deval L. Patrick.
The law establishes a new Mass. Broadband Institute, providing it with $40 million in bond money to use in laying fiber cables, building wireless towers and constructing other broadband infrastructure in the 32 towns.
Most of the affected communities are in western Massachusetts. Patrick – who owns a home in the tiny Berkshires town of Richmond – has made reaching out to the state’s sometimes-forgotten western region a key focus of his administration.
“Broadband is an essential resource in today’s world and economy,” the governor said in a statement at the signing. “This new law is a resounding victory for the residents, students and businesses in communities that have gone without it for too long. Expanding access to broadband will create substantial opportunities for economic, academic and cultural growth.”
State officials say the government investments will help attract more private-sector funds by making it more cost-effective for companies to target the isolated towns.
“High costs pose a significant entry barrier for the private sector and are a root cause of the broadband inequities we’re experiencing now,” said Daniel O’Connell, the state’s housing and economic development secretary.
Patrick will appoint nine state policymakers and industry leaders to the Mass. Broadband Institute’s nine-member governing board. Along with directing the bond financing, the institute will tackle other Internet access concerns statewide, according to the governor’s office.
Ninety-five cities and towns across Massachusets – with more than 220,000 households and 25,000 businesses – have inadequate or no access to broadband Internet service, state figures show.
For more information about the new Mass. Broadband initiative, visit www.mtpc.org/broadband. For news and information from the Mass. Governor’s Office, visit www.mass.gov.
