ASHFIELD — Gov. Charlie Baker arrived at Town Hall on Thursday to celebrate the near completion of providing broadband internet to every city and town in Massachusetts through the state’s Last Mile infrastructure and digital equity programs.
“This project is a true collaborative effort involving everyone to get something done that is desperately needed,” Baker said in his speech.
When the Baker-Polito administration started this project in 2016, 53 communities completely relied on satellite internet. Since then, broadband networks have been connected in all but seven municipalities. The remaining communities have networks that are partially operational, with additional customer connections that are ongoing or in final stages of construction.
“The divide is so real when it comes to basic infrastructure,” said Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito. “Where in eastern and central Massachusetts, we take for granted connectivity, and that 53 communities did not have it.”
Baker explained that when he visited western Massachusetts to meet with constituents, he would hear repeatedly about how people wanted broadband. He heard that residents did not want a one-size-fits-all solution, so the administration developed what he called “a menu of options.”
As part of the Last Mile program, the administration worked with internet companies to bring fiber networks to the towns that were left behind, including Ashfield. Baker said the effort “planted 40,000 telephone poles” and “laid 2,000 miles of fiber.” To date, the Last Mile infrastructure program has delivered high-speed internet access to approximately 26,000 premises, using more than $57 million in state funding.
“Years of planning and construction have led to today,” Polito said, “with homes and businesses online and residents that are benefiting from this 21st-century connectivity.”
In an interview, Polito explained they have laid the basic infrastructure for the next administration to pick up where they left off in expanding digital literacy as well.
Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development Secretary Mike Kennealy announced what he called “the next iteration of this strategy,” that being the Digital Equity Partnership Programs that will work with nonprofits to enhance internet access and digital literacy. He also announced the Municipal Digital Equity Planning Program that will provide strategic documents to communities to bridge the digital divide. More than $350 million in anticipated state and federal funding will be used to launch these digital equity programs.
Many people attending Thursday’s event spoke of how the Baker-Polito administration worked with businesses to make the Last Mile project a success. Polito explained the internet companies always had the ability to do the work; they just did not have the collaboration. By managing the collaboration of these companies — what Polito referred to as the “secret sauce” — the project was able to come together.
Ashfield’s Municipal Light Plant Manager David Kulp recounted how he used to commute to Amherst for work, but when his wife died of breast cancer, he needed to have a closer job to raise his children on his own. Thanks to the Last Mile infrastructure program, he is able to work a remote job researching to fight the disease that killed his wife.
“I want to express my gratitude of living my dream, working in Ashfield and working to improve human health, thanks to you,” Kulp said, addressing the politicians.
Baker and Polito said in an interview that in their last few weeks in office before Maura Healey and Kim Driscoll are sworn in as governor and lieutenant governor, respectively, they will have another round of Community Compact and regionalization grants to give out to municipalities in Franklin and Hampshire counties, as well as transportation initiatives.
“We will try to get as much wrapped up as we can,” Baker said.
Bella Levavi can be reached at blevavi@recorder.com or 413-930-4579.