Maine seeks input on how to spend $250M in federal broadband funds

MCA launches the Maine Broadband Survey to collect feedback which will inform the statewide Broadband Action Plan.

Maine has $250 million from the federal government to extend high-speed internet service to more of Maine. The Maine Connectivity Authority is launching a survey to help it figure out where to spend that money.

The authority's economic development director, Tanya Emery, says there could be several reasons why people lack good access: "Their town is simply not serviced, their road is not serviced, they have a particularly long driveway and there's one provider and that one provider has quoted them an enormous amount of money."

The information from the survey will help the authority create a five-year plan for spending the $250 million in federal money. In addition, some state funds are being deployed now to help reach more people in Maine with high-speed internet service.

Emery says the Maine Connectivity Authority will be collecting information from its survey over the next month so it can begin spending its federal dollars next year.