TURNERS FALLS — The Montague Broadband Committee will be addressing concerns and presenting a proposed map of the extended Comcast coverage area on Feb. 27 ahead of the next Montague Selectboard meeting.

Town Administrator Steve Ellis said the committee will update those who live in town and are concerned that the proposed Comcast solution won’t cover some neighborhoods.

The meeting will be from 5:30 to 7 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 27, in Town Hall. They plan to provide the updated Comcast maps and discuss options for additional coverage.

“They’ll review with the public Comcast maps, answer questions and address concerns that the public may have,” Ellis said.

Ellis said he has discussed the proposed maps with the committee and they have indicated there’s been movement on the issue.

“At least we may have some forward progress of some sort,” Ellis said.

In July 2016, the Massachusetts Broadband Institute (MBI) told the applicable towns that they had to choose Comcast for additional build-outs if they wanted to keep the state funding for the project.

Comcast’s expansion plan would cover 96 percent of the town, according to Town Planner Walter Ramsey. He said there’s about 43 houses that are not currently covered, and the town broadband committee is currently trying to find a solution to that problem.

The Massachusetts Broadband Institute, which is to oversee last-mile broadband, had received applications from the Matrix Design Group and Comcast to provide broadband extension services for both Montague and Hardwick. But MBI dropped Matrix as a possible choice, saying in May 2016 that Matrix might not have the financial resources to sustain such a network and that its two-year build-out with Leverett was not in accordance with contract requirements. Members of Montague and Hardwick’s broadband committees disagreed, saying at a May meeting they believe MBI is trying to force a Comcast solution on them.

Montague and Hardwick were given a choice to either accept Comcast or forfeit any share of the $5 million in state broadband money set aside for several underserved towns with partial cable service.

Reach Miranda Davis at
413-772-0261, ext. 280 or
mdavis@recorder.com