Broadband Construction Begins! June 21, 2021

As of June 21, 2021, execution of the project make-ready process steps is near completion. Charter Communications plans to begin construction of its network in June!

As per the project status reports posted in January and March this year, Eversource and Verizon have been very busy executing the laborious multi-step “make-ready” process, preparing the 3,369 utility poles in town for the addition of new fiber-optic cabling Charter Communications will be attaching to the poles for providing broadband Internet service. Eversource is responsible for 1,674 of the poles, and Verizon the other 1,695. Both companies have been steadily working together during the winter and spring months to complete all steps of the “make-ready” process, replacing utility poles as needed, transferring electric and existing telecommunications cables to all the new poles, and issuing licenses to Charter that allow new fiber to be attached to the utility poles.

In March, Eversource and Verizon had provided the Massachusetts Broadband Institute (MBI) an estimated completion date of early May to complete all the necessary “make-ready” construction work. The estimated completion date provided was a bit optimistic. As of this report Eversource has identified and reported to MBI residual issues with 6 utility poles, 3 of which will need to be replaced. Eversource crews are working on these few remaining issues, with a goal of completing all open work by the end of June. Verizon crews are closely following the Eversource crews and will close out their remaining open work (transferring telecommunications cabling as necessary) soon after Eversource has completed all open work. As of this report Eversource has issued licenses to Charter Communications for all license applications which Charter had submitted to Eversource. And, as of this report, Verizon has issued licenses to Charter Communications for all but 2 of the license applications Charter had submitted to Verizon. Verizon will issue the remaining 2 licenses following the completion of its remaining open work.

As per the March status report, MBI has hired third-party contractors (Linx Communications and Phoenix Telecommunications) to relocate the state’s Middle Mile network fiber-optic cables that are attached to some of the utility poles in town to make room for the new fiber-optic cables Charter will be attaching to the poles. As of this report MBI has reported that Middle Mile cabling attached to 55 utility poles still needs to be relocated. In March, MBI provided an estimated completion date of early June for this step in the “make-ready” process to be completed. Like the Eversource and Verizon completion date estimates, this estimate was a bit optimistic. The two third-party contractors have informed MBI that all open work will be completed quickly following the completion of all Eversource and Verizon open work. The good news is that Charter can begin its network construction phase of the project in sections of town not impacted by the third-party contractor open work.

So when can Charter begin its network construction phase of the project? The town has received great news! The Charter Communications network construction coordinator has reached out to the Sandisfield Chief of Police and the town’s Department of Public Works (DPW) supervisor to inform them of the upcoming planned work in town. Charter has contracted with Broadband Access Services (BAS) to construct the network. BAS has been given the authority to begin construction in the North Beech Plain area of town. The contractor plans to begin work the week of June 21-25. As of June 21, the construction coordinator will be providing Chief Morrison and the DPW all the work locations in town for the week every Monday morning. BAS will be reaching out to Chief Morrison about scheduling details when they are required. Charter is contractually obligated (via the contract between Charter and MBI) to complete all network construction no later than one year after the construction phase begins. Today, Charter has provided MBI with an estimated completion date of June 2, 2022, for the entire network to be constructed and operational.

So stay tuned for all the latest information regarding the network construction, and all information and assistance regarding the list and expected availability of the services to be provided by Charter Communications.