Maine Connectivity Authority announces $1 million for its Jumpstart Connectivity Initiative

On Monday, Maine Connectivity Authority announced three awards totaling more than $1 million in funding for its Jumpstart Connectivity Initiative.

LEE — On Monday, Maine Connectivity Authority announced three awards totaling more than $1 million in funding for its Jumpstart Connectivity Initiative.

“It’s the first program launched by MCA earlier this year to look at new technologies and partnerships in modeling off national best practices around how to incorporate non-wired solutions to address hard to reach areas,” said Andrew Butcher, president of Maine Connectivity Authority.

Towns like Lakeville, Lee, Greenville, Orient, and Danforth were selected to receive the Jumpstart Initiative awards, which will provide broadband connection.

Providers for the awards include Outer Reach Broadband, UScellular and Wireless Partners.

The initiative will benefit residential customers, and it will also make a difference for schools in these areas, including Lee academy.

“It’s wonderful for this community. A lot of our students are in an undeserved population when it comes to technology and internet, so it’ll be huge for our students to have the ability to work from home, work more productively if we do have a snow day,” said Chris Murphy, principal of Lee Academy.

“With better internet, we’re going to have a more reliable connection and be able to be outdoors and be away from the standard classroom setting,” said Zakkary Bulpett, a student at Lee Academy.

Butcher says the future is looking bright with more projects like this planned for the future.

“The governor has made a bold and ambitious commitments around providing connectivity to those who need it and want it and don’t have it, and this is one way in which we’ll be addressing that goal,” said Butcher.