Fiber to the Home in Barrington

Barrington residents are united in their requests for more speed and more options for their home internet connections. Although Breezeline has a non-exclusive cable TV franchise agreement in Barrington, it is a common misconception that the agreement regulates internet connections or internet provider competition. In short, the agreement pertains only to cable TV and any internet service provider is welcome in Barrington with no local regulation. More information regarding the Breezeline Franchise Agreement can be found here: www.barrington.nh.gov/faq/TownandInternet.

At the direction of the Select Board, the Barrington Technology Committee has taken a proactive approach to promote bringing fiber to the home in Barrington. The committee is reviewing options to pursue grants and low-interest loans which would help incentivize providers to bring fiber internet to the home in Barrington. Multiple providers have fiber services along Routes 125, 9, and 4, but (with one exception) those services do not yet extend to residential areas. As part of these efforts, Fidium Fiber installed residential fiber service in southwest Barrington along the Route 4 corridor, this service is now available to a few hundred households.

The Town is currently waiting to hear the results of a $2.6 million grant application to bring fiber internet to about 2,200 more Barrington households. The results of this grant award will advise next steps to help improve internet options for residents.

October 2, 2023 (Select Board Meeting)

Consolidated Communications – BMGI Grant

8:10pm. Consolidated Communications/Fidium Fiber has prepared a plan to add 2,200 additional addresses to their service in Barrington. The project would be funded by their own capital as well as grant funds. The grant program, Broadband Matching Grant Initiative (BMGI) is through the New Hampshire Department of Business and Economic Affairs (BEA).

At the 2023 Town Vote this past March, the Town overwhelmingly supported working with Consolidated Communications to explore funding opportunities to bring fiber to Barrington homes.

TA MacIver explained the locations in red/orange in the plan are considered underserved/unserved and will be eligible for funding by the grant.

Motion to support the Consolidated Communications Broadband Matching Grant Initiative application by Vice-Chair Saccoccia, seconded by Selectperson Hardekopf. Roll Call vote: Hardekopf: Aye, Gibson: Aye, Mannschreck: Aye, Saccoccia: Aye, Cappiello: Aye. The motion passed.

April to October 2023

Staff worked with representatives from Consolidated Communications to find opportunities to bring Fiber to the Home for residents of Barrington. These efforts focusesd around grant opportunities.

March 28, 2023 (Town Meeting)

Article 26 passed with a large majority on the 2023 Town Ballot was Fiber to the Home Non-Binding Agreement.

To see if the Town will authorize the Select Board to enter a non-binding agreement with Consolidated Communications dba (doing business as) Fidium Fiber to explore funding opportunities to bring fiber to the home for residents of Barrington. Consolidated Communications was competitively recommended by the Barrington Technology Committee through the advertisement of a request for proposals in 2022. [Majority Vote Required].

This article is recommended for approval by the Select Board 5-0.

November 28, 2022 (Select Board Meeting)

Fiber Partnership Warrant Article (Video: 6 min.)

The Technology Committee has been working since January to improve data connection and reliability for residents. Ultimately, they established a goal of bringing fiber to the home throughout Barrington.
The process included research, mapping, interviews, meeting with providers, and advertising a request for proposals. A summary of the process with additional details is available at www.barrington.nh.gov/fiber.
At their November 15, 2022 meeting, the Technology Committee reviewed and scored the two proposals received. Ultimately, neither provider (Consolidated or HUB66) identified funding mechanisms available to Barrington due to its current broadband coverage (defined as 25mbps/3mbps). That said, the committee felt that it would be important to enter into a non-binding partnership in order to collectively advocate and pursue future funding opportunities.
In scoring the two proposals, the committee felt both organizations brought important expertise to the table. Ultimately, Consolidated Communications was scored higher due to their current fiber service in Barrington and their capacity for expansion.
Further, the committee felt that it would be important to allow voters the opportunity to weigh in because any future bond funding request would require voter approval. To that end, the committee unanimously recommended submitting a warrant article to allow the Town to enter a non-binding agreement with Consolidated Communications/Fidium Fiber.

The Select Board voted to authorize the inclusion of a fiber-to-the-home warrant article in the 2023 warrant.

May 10, 2022 (NCDE Meeting)

Agenda:

Request presentations from viable Providers (schedule 20 min sessions with Q&A)
1. CCI 5-10-22
2. Breezeline
3. Firstlight
Based on Gap Analysis and forecasting decide on approach to solutions
Provide a high level design and cost estimate for fttp in Barrington
Business Model Strategy for deployment of fiber
1. Public Network
2. Public/Private Partnership
3. Private Network
Funding Strategy for deployment
1. Municipality funded
  1. Bond
  2. Grant funded
  3. Raise capital from residents (Stock)
  4. Tap into banking CRA requirements
  5. NH Broadband Office/Federal Funding $122Million
2. Shared Cost funded(provider/municipality)
  1. Bond
  2. Grant funded
  3. Tap into banking CRA requirement
  4. NH Broadband Office/Federal Funding $122Million
3. Privately funded by provider
  1. No funding from municipality
  2. Letters of support
  3. Negotiate timeline and schedule for deployment
Affordability – Approach to
1. Discount program for LMI and Senior Populations
2. Discount Devices for LMI and Senior Populations
3. Work with schools, and senior housing to train on ACP Program

Carol Miller has coordinated meetings with the internet services providers currently serving Barrington. The purpose of the meetings is to understand their current plans to deploy fiber in Barrington and what partnership opportunities may exist.

Consolidated Communications explained that they recently completed a fiber build-out in southwest Barrington (dba Fidium Fiber). They also explained that Consolidated has partnered with 23 communities to bring fiber to the home in New Hampshire. They have availability in their 2023 build schedule if a partnership opportunity existed to expand fiber to the home in Barrington.

April 12, 2022 (NCDE Meeting)

Carol Miller shared more coverage maps with members of the Technology Committee for discussion. In general, the maps showed that Barrington was primarily covered by Breezeline, with other providers available in certain locations. Fiber availability was limited.

March 15, 2022 (NCDE Meeting)

Carol Miller presented preliminary coverage maps to members of the Technology Committee for discussion. She shared that more data collection would result in updated maps.

January 19, 2022 (Select Board Meeting)

Video • Minutes

Broadband Coverage Data Request

i. At the September 27, 2021 meeting, the Select Board authorized proceeding with a contract to become ‘Broadband Ready’. The Town partnered with NCDE to perform the scope. The project kickoff meeting was on January 11, 2022 and the first step is data collection. Pursuant to RSA 33:3-g, III (established from 2018 NH Senate Bill 170), the Town can vote to request broadband coverage information from providers in Barrington.

Motion to request broadband coverage data from Barrington providers per RSA 33:3-g, III - Passed on the consent agenda.

January 11, 2022 (NCDE Kick-Off Meeting)

The Technology Committee met with Carol Miller from NCDE to begin the project included in the November 11, 2021 contract.

Meeting PowerPoint: https://www.barrington.nh.gov/town-administrator/files/ncde-kickoff-meeting-powerpoint-20220111

November 11, 2021 (NCDE Contract)

Barrington enters a contract with NCDE with a scope of becoming 'broadband ready'.

Contract: https://www.barrington.nh.gov/town-administrator/files/ncde-contract-20211110

September 27, 2021 (Select Board Meeting)

Video • Minutes

National Collaborative for Digital Equity (NCDE) Broadband Partnership

The New Hampshire Municipal Association has partnered with NCDE to help communities advocate and secure improved broadband (fiber to home). The cost will be $7,500 and it will be an eligible use of ARPA funds.
The goal of the partnership would be to become ‘fiber ready’. This involves research, data collection, and data analysis to understand the current environment and areas for improvement. This information is necessary in order to pursue and secure broadband grant funds which are becoming increasingly available.
The Technology Committee reviewed this proposal at their September meeting. The group felt it was very important for Barrington to take an active role in improving broadband connectivity in Barrington. Step one of that process is becoming ‘broadband ready’. They felt that the partnership with NCDE would be a valuable investment towards that goal.
Based on the US Treasury’s Interim Final Rule on Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds, this project would be an eligible use for the ARPA funds. Of the four categories of qualifying expenditures, this would fall under the broadband infrastructure allowable expense.

Motion to expend up to $7,500 from Barrington’s ARPA funding to partner with NCDE by Chairperson Knapp, seconded by Selectperson Bailey. Roll call vote: Ayer – Aye, Bailey – Aye, Mannschreck – Aye, Knapp – Aye. The motion passed.