Falmouth moves forward with plans for a municipal internet utility; some advise caution

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FalmouthNet, a non-profit advocacy group that wants the town to establish its own fiber optic network, recently had a major win at Town Meeting. Voters overwhelmingly approved the creation of a municipal internet utility. The next big step will be in November 2022, when a municipal light board will be elected, which will be tasked with bringing a concrete plan before the town. FalmouthNet is advocating for a fiber optic network that would serve as an alternative to private providers such as Comcast. According to Courtney Bird, founder of FalmouthNet, fiber optic networks can transmit much more data than a typical hybrid network. FalmouthNet is looking at speeds of one gigabyte for both upload and download, at a subscriber cost of about $70 a month, though those numbers are not concrete. Bird said fiber optic networks allow constant upgrades, so the speeds could increase as technology advances. A municipal enterprise would give Falmouth the attention it needs, since Bird believes companies like Comcast aren’t as motivated to bring internet standards up in less-dense areas.


Falmouth moves forward with plans for a municipal internet utility; some advise caution