[Lakegeezer]

We're getting in the weeds, but the goal remains to allow NHEC to move forward with planning a fiber infrastructure. It appears to be the best way to get high-speed internet to everyone, which the region badly needs. Since NHEC owns many of the utility poles, it is much less expensive for them to string fiber. No pole rental and fewer make-ready charges or delays.

Now, deeper into the weeds. CARES act 2020 is a done deal. It is partially correct that CARES 2020 didn't pay for connecting those that already have greater than 25/3 Mbps, but the infrastructure was allowed to pass by served homes to get to unserved areas. Those served homes along the path can also connect, but not recover last mile costs via CARES 2020 money. We'll have to wait to see what 2021 internet build-out funding is available.

If NHEC moves forward with fiber, much of Carroll County's problems will be solved. Much of the county is already served, but like M'boro, there are big pockets of unserved. The cable and phone companies could do it, but haven't and seem unwilling to help others erode their monopoly.

Hub66 only strings fiber within neighborhoods, sometimes over-wrapped on its wholesale supplier. It doesn't own backhaul fiber but buys bulk bandwidth wholesale. The existing fiber capacity from Consolidated and Charter/Spectrum is not available for resale, so the overbuilding by FirstLight or NHEC is needed for 100% buildout. If NHEC has an open model for its fiber capacity, Hub66 and others can compete for the last mile. Competition on consumer internet services, backed by an open and stable backbone means lower costs. To me, the open trunk model works best. It is a lot easier for NHEC to support wholesale customers than if selling internet direct to the consumer.