The town of Chesterfield, NH, has entered into a public-private partnership with Consolidated Communications (NASDAQ:CNSL) to build a fiber-to-the-premises (FTTP) Internet network directly to all homes and businesses with no associated property tax increase.
"We were inspired by Chesterfield's enthusiasm and willingness to work with us on a solution to improve and expand broadband services in their rural community," said Rob Koester, vice president of consumer product at Consolidated Communications. "Consolidated Communications is excited to deliver high-speed broadband Internet service to residents and businesses in Chesterfield at speeds of up to 1 Gbps."
New Hampshire towns were given the authority to issue bonds for broadband infrastructure when the state passed Senate Bill 170 last year. The arrangement is the first of its kind in the state.
"Having this type of partnership with Consolidated Communications provides a rural town like ours with innumerable economic development and quality-of-life benefits and opportunities that will, undoubtedly, have a lasting impact," said Brad Roscoe, a former town selectman who has been leading Chesterfield's broadband initiatives.
Consolidated Communications is working to bring better broadband Internet services to other unserved and underserved rural communities across New Hampshire, Maine and Vermont using a combination of its own capital and third-party funding sources.
Last year, the company completed a broadband upgrade project delivering faster speeds to 500,000 residents and small businesses throughout northern New England including 140,000 upgrades across New Hampshire. Upgraded homes and businesses are now able to get speeds two to three times faster than what was previously available, the company says.