Cavendish Telecommunications 3/15/22

The state considers speeds less than 25/3 Mbgs to be underserved. By that definition, Cavendish would have a relatively small un/underserved population in comparison to other parts of the state- approximately 8% of total addresses.

Of the 969 addresses:

• 756 (78%) have access to Comcast. Covers most of Cavendish with the exception of the following- North Central (Brook, Town Farm, East, Moriglion Rd and South Reading Rd) and North West (parts of Davis Rd, The Hill, Parts of Heald and Twenty Mile Stream and Newton Rd)

• 192 are TDS only. 87% of the town is covered by TDS. Based on spring 2021 survey, 63% of TDS customers have the capability of meeting the state standard of 25/3. Underserved areas include: Hardscrabble, Newton Roads, Davis and Moriglioni Rd

• 21 (2%) are considered unserved. These are primarily in the Consolidated Communications catchment area in the Northeastern section of town. They are using cell coverage, satellite services and a little bit of VTel Wireless.

• 61 (6%) are underserved, having speeds less than 25/3

• VTel wireless is used by a few addresses, in some cases as a backup service to TDS.

In 2021 Legislation was enacted that created the VT Community Broadband Board (VCBB) to oversee the distribution of funds for broadband (approximately $150 M).  Funding was earmarked for CUDs, Communication Union Districts, and only for wiring fiber. This meant that cable companies-Comcast and Consolidated-were not eligible for these funds.

Cavendish did not benefit from this legislation as the town is not part of a CUD, and is unlikely to become one. However, the VCBB did approve independent companies that wire fiber, such as TDS, to apply for funding.

TDS has stated that they will begin wiring fiber in Ludlow, Cavendish, Weathersfield and Baltimore using their own money- $5.4 million-sometime this year. Note that TDS is launching network upgrades across the country using a combination of funding sources from TDS, the Federal Communications Commission’s Alternative Connect America Cost Model (A-CAM), and from several state broadband expansion grants. Also note that even with Connect America Funding, it took TDS over seven years to implement upgrades in our area, which improved service in certain places but had marginal impact in others.

In 2021, the TDS’s spokesperson stated in various meetings that the underserved areas would receive fiber first. However, a recent conversation with TDS found that they will be starting with the more densely populated areas and will be looking to VCBB to fund the more rural sections.

The VCBB has set aside a little over a half a million dollars for wiring Cavendish.

The Northeastern part of town that is covered by Consolidated, and has the largest group of unserved addresses, remains an issue. Rob Fisher of the VCBB has stated that ECFiber is interested in applying for funding to wire this segment of Cavendish, with the adjoining area of Weathersfield. He also noted that Consolidated may be interested.

Unfortunately, it appears that the under/un served parts of Cavendish will be the last to benefit from the funding controlled by VCBB. It is also not clear if the set aside funding is enough to pay for the upgrade to the TDS territory as well as to provide service to the un served parts of town. 

As far as cell service, the governor has proposed a $51.5 million program, with money from the federal Coronavirus Capital Projects Fund, to deploy 100 cell towers to reach unserved wireless areas in Vermont. Administered by the Department of Public Service, the Critical Communications Infrastructure Program (CCIP) will fund the deployment of additional cell towers to expand mobile wireless voice and data coverage throughout Vermont. 

While many towns in VT are in favor of progress and technology, they don’t want cell towers in their backyard.