Nowadays, if your office Internet connection fails, even briefly, all work grinds to a halt. But only 20 years ago, that wasn't the case. IBM Selectric typewriters continued to drum out business letters and dial-up phones still could reach the outside world.
CEOGWI Fletcher is the CEO and founder of GWI. Fletcher grew up in Arundel, Maine and went to Colby College, where he majored in English. He graduated in 1984 .
Proposed Maine broadband agency could negotiate contracts, provide grants – and build, if it must centralmaine.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from centralmaine.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Commentary: Prospects for broadband growth at critical point in Maine
Regulatory change could enable much-needed fast, reliable and affordable fiber internet access – if legacy phone, power and cable companies don’t block it.
By Fletcher KittredgeSpecial to the Press Herald
Share
A realization has been growing for the last few years that fast, reliable and affordable internet access is a necessity for society to grow and prosper. At the national level, this has led to bipartisan support for measures that promote quality internet access to all citizens, particularly in areas that lack it today, such as Maine. One of the measures undertaken is to update old regulations that hinder the deployment of fiber broadband, which is the fastest and most reliable form of broadband. The Federal Communications Commission convened a federal, state and industry task force to formulate new regulations for utility pole attachments. Pole attachments are required for fiber to be strung on the