MONTAGUE — Only time will tell if broadband fiber makes it to the last homes in town.
After selectmen agreed to enter into contract negotiations with broadband provider Matrix Design Group last month, the agency responsible for distributing state funding, Massachusetts Broadband Institute (MBI), is now pushing back on the town’s decision.
MBI officials said they have concerns about the Matrix’s lack of experience, but canceled a public meeting scheduled for today to talk about those concerns. Now, MBI officials said they are extending their review of the broadband provider’s plan, while they seek more information about Matrix’s prior experience.
The review is expected to be completed by April 29, then the state agency will announce a decision on how to proceed, according to Edmund Donnelly, MBI strategic policy director.
“The proposal offered by Matrix Design Group carries significant risk to both the Commonwealth’s investment and the towns involved,” said Donnelly in an email to the selectmen. He said that Matrix does not have experience operating broadband networks in Massachusetts.
Matrix representatives said that they have experience running networks out of state and have built thousands of miles of fiber networks. The company runs networks in New Jersey and has built fiber networks for about 24 towns in Vermont.
“Here’s the bottom line: This isn’t really about our qualifications. This is about MBI trying to force a Comcast solution on the towns of Montague and Hardwick,” said Chris Lynch from Matrix Design Group.
“So now they are going to try to disqualify Matrix without a public hearing,” said Robert Steinberg, Broadband Committee member.
The Montague Broadband Committee determined last month that by working with Matrix Design Group rather than Comcast, the town could get faster Internet service that reaches more residents. The town would also have the opportunity to own the network after 20 years.
The Montague Broadband Committee scheduled a new public meeting today in Town Hall from 6 to 8 p.m. to discuss interactions with MBI and how to proceed.
When MBI received only bids for the broadband project from Matrix and Comcast in October, the state agency designated Matrix as a qualified provider, said Lynch, explaining that his company has built fiber networks for about 20 years, in some cases working with companies like AT&T and Verizon.
In Montague, Matrix could reach almost 98.5 percent of the remaining underserved homes, said Steinberg, a Broadband Committee member who lives in one of the unserved neighborhoods in the Chestnut Hill area.
Under the Matrix plan, the broadband provider would contribute $650,000 to build the infrastructure for the new service, 60 percent of the total cost. Residents who opt in for the new broadband service would pay a one-time hookup fee of $500.
Despite there being no opposition from residents to Matrix’s plan, Steinberg said, every week MBI gives a new excuse for not wanting to work with Matrix. He said that none of the reasons are substantive.
“No matter what, they are not going to move forward with Matrix. They have made that clear,” Steinberg said. The Broadband Committee, he said, is now hoping that residents will rise up to express their concerns to MBI. “Let’s see if we could get the villagers out with pitchforks.”