High-speed broadband is becoming the essential communications infrastructure across America and Maine. In manufacturing, health care, tourism and education, and at home, internet service that is faster, more reliable, and more affordable is important to business and community growth and quality of life.  Access to quality broadband is already an important factor for deciding where to live or locate a business. 

Wiscasset and the Wiscasset Area Chamber of Commerce are seeking resident and business input into the quality and cost of current internet services and how expanded broadband could benefit them. The town is one of seven towns participating in a ConnectME Community Broadband Planning project, guided by Lincoln County Regional Planning Commission and Axiom Technologies, the project consultant. The other towns are Somerville, Whitefield, Jefferson, Dresden, Edgecomb and Westport Island.

Along with town residents Carla Dickstein and Marty Fox, the town and Chamber are distributing two surveys online and will be providing printed copies to several locations in town.  The Wiscasset committee will also be meeting one-on-one with key employers. Residents who are also business owners are encouraged to fill out both surveys.

To take the survey online, visit www.wiscasset.org. The Chamber will distribute information and links to the surveys in an email message to all members.  

The residential and business surveys are part of Phase 1 of the seven-town project, with a response/return date of Jan. 14. While this is a quick turnaround, the results will inform the committee, with representatives from every town, as it reviews town ordinances and assets, meets with service providers and evaluates the local need for computer classes and greater public broadband access. Phase 2 of the project will look at network design to address identified gaps in service, cost analysis, and funding models.

For more information or to schedule a one-on-one meeting, call the Chamber at 882-9600.