One for the “Cons” List

By Lindsey Pizzica Rotolo

A recurring complaint at town plan meetings over the past few months addresses the problem of voids in high speed internet access throughout Norfolk. Unless the towns in northwestern Connecticut or local internet providers invest millions of dollars in infrastructure, there is little to be done to rectify the situation, although new technology and federal grant money could be the light at the end of the tunnel.
Adam Cormier, a spokesperson for communications giant AT & T, says cost is a big factor in determining expansion of their high speed coverage areas, but assures those in rural areas that AT & T is committed to exploring more options. “We currently offer coverage in 90 percent of Connecticut and are continuing to investigate ways to cover the remaining 10 percent. It took 130 years to get phone lines installed across the entire state of Connecticut. This sort of expansion doesn’t happen overnight.”
AT & T offers two high speed options in addition to dial-up service, satellite dish connections and digital subscriber lines (DSL). DSL technology is delivered over existing telephone wires via a dedicated connection directly from the phone company’s central office or remote terminal.
One of the limitations with DSL service is that the connection speed slows down the further you are from the phone company’s office. In Norfolk, the connection speed is only optimal within a two mile radius of the phone building on Greenwoods Road West and the installation of remote terminals is cost prohibitive. While it is possible to have DSL service outside that radius, it is not in AT & T’s best interest to deliver a substandard version of their product.
Comcast provides high speed internet access in parts of Norfolk through cable lines that are a shared bandwidth. Unlike DSL, which is a dedicated line to your home or office, cable internet access can be slowed down depending on how many people in your neighborhood are online at the same time. The installation cost of cable lines is roughly $900 to $1,000 per household, which again leaves the company with little incentive for construction in sparsely populated areas.
Direct TV and Hughes Net provide high speed internet access in town through satellite dishes. While the connection speed is much faster than dial-up, satellite connections require a clear view of the southern sky, which isn’t achievable in dense forest and low lying areas. If the southern view is obstructed, the connection speed may only be slightly faster than dial-up service.
Another option for a faster internet connection is mobile broadband cards, which can be inserted directly into your computer and obtain an internet connection through cell phone towers. These cards can be purchased from your cell phone provider and work wherever you receive a strong signal on your cell phone.
This may be the best option for residents of South Norfolk, who live in the largest high speed void in town. With the installation of the new cell phone tower next to town farm, many Verizon customers now have a strong enough signal to obtain a higher internet connection speed.
Edward Zyszkowski, a New Marlborough, Massachusetts resident is the Chief Executive Officer of Steeplechase and Berkshire Broadband, companies that use a new technology to bring high speed internet connections to communities. This technology is a hybrid of fiber optic systems and wireless fidelity (wifi) and has been installed in communities of varying size across the country.
“The problem with bringing this technology into our area is dealing with town governments as opposed to counties or states. It’s far easier for a state government to make headway with utility companies than town officials, who don’t own the telephone poles,” Zyszkowski said.
Local governments are becoming more proactive though, thanks to federal grant money. Zyszkowski referenced the town of Alma, Missouri, population 399, which recently obtained the best high speed technology in the world through a grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development Division.
Rural Development’s Broadband Access Loan Program has granted 56 loans totaling $868 million dollars since 2002. Locally, Mid-Hudson Cablevision, Inc. received a $5.2 million dollar loan from the division to provide high speed internet access to over 7,000 subscribers. High speed internet access for all Norfolk residents may soon be on everyone’s “pros” list.