MONTAGUE — A commissioner from the state Department of Telecommunications and Cable presented the agency’s recommendation for the town to use Comcast for their broadband expansion.
Sighs and groans came from the audience during the presentation at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, as residents disputed the department’s findings and asked questions about why the state agency seems to be ignoring the community’s wishes to hire the company Matrix to provide broadband service for underserved homes in Montague.
Commissioner Karen Charles Peterson held the meeting to respond to residents’ questions and concerns about a report that she released on Monday recommending Comcast, citing the internet giant’s financial stability and experience building broadband networks to rural communities.
The report, which concludes that Matrix does not have the financial capacity to successfully complete the job, comes after months of Montague residents rallying in support of Matrix and dismissing Comcast’s bid to serve the town.
“That’s baffling to us. Why don’t you talk to us,” said Montague Broadband Committee member Kevin Hart. He was one of the many residents who expressed frustration.
Peterson said that her recommendation did take the residents’ concerns seriously. She thanked the crowd for their input during the review process.
Peterson told residents that while she can’t make any guarantee to specific individuals, Comcast has expressed that they are willing to work with every household that wishes to install broadband.
Not a single resident who spoke said they favored Comcast over Matrix. Several residents expressed their discontent with being forced into a Comcast solution.
“Why should we believe that (Massachusetts Broadband Institute) is going to help get service in Montague,” said Robert Steinberg, who lives in the unserved area of Chestnut Hill.
Peterson said that the number of homes that would be serviced by Comcast in Montague is not yet determined, but that the company promised to serve at least 96 percent of homes.
The details of how many households the company would end up serving would be worked out in the contract agreement with MBI, the agency responsible for distributing state aid to underserved homes throughout western Massachusetts, she said.
MBI board of directors Chairman Peter Larkin also addressed the audience. He said that his organization is willing to stand behind all of its future contractual agreements with Comcast. In the meantime, MBI is working to build dialogue with the underserved communities.
“What we are trying to do is provide the service you need in the way you need it,” Larkin told the crowd.
When asked by a resident about the timeline for the broadband expansion, Larkin said that has yet be determined.
The Massachusetts Department of Telecommunications and Cable plans to come to a final decision this month, said spokesman Brain Noyes.
You can reach Lisa Spear at lspear@recorder.com or 413-772-0261, ext. 280