Challenge 1: Connect Maine

Background & Need

Connectivity in rural communities enables talent attraction, innovation, skills upgrading, and access to a global economy. Connectivity will cross all sectors — not just of the economy, but of people’s lives. The ability to access information, create and share content, improve health outcomes, access learning, and work from anywhere in our state, all hinge on high speed access. Consistent, always-available access across the state is essential. Maine cannot settle for less.

• ConnectME, the state high-speed internet authority, has set the minimum standard for service at 25Mbps (megabits per second) “down” (receiving data) and 3 Mbps “up” (sending data). At least 85,000 locations in Maine do not meet this standard.
• Maine households subscribe to broadband services at a rate of a little better than half of the national average.24 The lower the so-called “take rate,” the less the financial incentive there is for a private company to invest to extend a broadband line into a new neighborhood. This points out that the issue is not simply the availability of broadband, but also its affordability.