High-speed internet is essential for home, business and agricultural needs, but estimates show that there are more than 94,000 unserved and underserved locations across Maine. The good news is that Maine was just allocated $272 million in funding from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s Broadband Equity Access and Deployment program to expand broadband internet to areas across the state.

Maine officials now have important decisions to make about how that funding will be used to ensure all residents have reliable and fast broadband connectivity. In our experience, we’ve learned that a mix of technologies will be needed so that thousands of people aren’t left unserved.

There are parts of Maine where fiber will be the right solution, mainly in urban areas where the infrastructure and terrain make it easy and affordable to install. In many rural areas, 5G fixed wireless, using cellular technology to provide both home broadband and mobile connectivity, is best; one cell site can serve multiple locations without having to dig up long distances to avoid crop fields or hanging aerial fiber on unevenly spread poles over rocky terrain.

Importantly, these decisions aren’t an either/or between wireline or wireless, fiber or 5G fixed wireless, urban or rural. When considering how to connect Maine residents, we all must think in terms of “and” instead of “or.” We urge state officials to keep open the option to use all available, reliable solutions to get Maine connected as they take advantage of its allocated funding.

Brandi McCune
director of sales and operations, US Cellular, New England
South Portland