Help Shape Broadband Service in Maine

By Clarence Young, Sewall Senior Project Manager

The James W. Sewall Co. has won a 3-year project with the ConnectME Authority and the associated grant from NTIA to fund mapping of broadband service availability for the entire state of Maine. This complex project will engage about 40 broadband service providers across the region, using existing service information to create a representation of served, un-served and underserved communities. As part of this project we have deployed a web-based tool that allows individuals to test the connection speed of their internet service.

This publicly accessible solution independently stores each connection test run from a location, providing valuable verification information gathered randomly and independent of the other process steps. This data will be reviewed by the project team and, in conjunction with other verification information, used to corroborate the published map information. Ultimately, the data created will help shape the development of broadband service and provide consumers with a search tool for identifying service providers and service options available to specific addresses.

You have a chance to help shape the future development of broadband service in the region through contributing data used by future decision makers in establishing a long term plan designed to enhance Maine's social and economic opportunities these technologies provide. Please log onto our site at http://connectmespeedtest.maine.gov from locations where you access the internet and follow the straight forward instructions provided. The test takes less than a minute to complete and the only requested from you is the address location from which you are currently accessing the system. Please spread the word to your friends and colleagues. Wider coverage in the speed test data collected will provide better results in service validation.