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Listen to: Maine Broadband Coalition Initiatives Across Maine
Listen to: Maine Broadband Coalition Initiatives Across Maine
Fidium Fiber Update - 2 June 2023
IMPORTANT: FIDIUM is not the same service as Consolidated Business Fiber or Consolidated Fiber Connect (see 5&6 below).
1. Fidium Fiber is here NOW! but you have to order it!
2. No NOT transition to VOIP until your Fiber Installation is complete. You could lose phone/DSL is there is a delay. Both operate on the same copper line.
3. Keep your DSL or other service until the Fiber is up and running. Then cancel...
4. You only have to cancel DSL (if you have CCI) if you're keeping your phone line. They do it all the time....
5. If you have a home or work from home you can get Fidium@Home.
6. If you have a small business (i.e. a storefront) and have minimal requirements you can get Fidium@Work.
7. If you keep your copper phone line you get a phone bill from Consolidated. If you have Fidium Fiber you get a bill from Fidium.
a. Please DO NOT try to combine the two costs on your old Consolidated billing account! Do not! You may be assigned to Consolidated Fiber Connect and it is NOT the same as Fidium@home or @work. There is no app and no free extenders, etc..
Clarification on fiber from the last pole to the premise
1. Consolidated will install the fiber cable from the last pole to the house (pole to the house or via conduit) at no cost
2. Consolidated will install the fiber cable using existing conduit if it can be used. No distance limit! at no cost
3. Consolidated will install up to 500 feet of new conduit at no cost. Conduit installs over 500ft. will be at the cost of the subscriber/property owner.
4. Consolidated will return and bury conduit/fiber cable that may have been laid on the ground due to frozen conduit or other issues.
5. The conduit Fidium uses is less than 3/4 inch and can be laid on the ground. It may look like plain cable but it is not!
Need your Starlink anymore or Need an Affordable Computer? See give IT get IT.
IMPORTANT: FIDIUM is not the same service as Consolidated Business Fiber or Consolidated Fiber Connect (see 5&6 below).
1. Fidium Fiber is here NOW! but you have to order it!
2. No NOT transition to VOIP until your Fiber Installation is complete. You could lose phone/DSL is there is a delay. Both operate on the same copper line.
3. Keep your DSL or other service until the Fiber is up and running. Then cancel...
4. You only have to cancel DSL (if you have CCI) if you're keeping your phone line. They do it all the time....
5. If you have a home or work from home you can get Fidium@Home.
6. If you have a small business (i.e. a storefront) and have minimal requirements you can get Fidium@Work.
7. If you keep your copper phone line you get a phone bill from Consolidated. If you have Fidium Fiber you get a bill from Fidium.
a. Please DO NOT try to combine the two costs on your old Consolidated billing account! Do not! You may be assigned to Consolidated Fiber Connect and it is NOT the same as Fidium@home or @work. There is no app and no free extenders, etc..
Clarification on fiber from the last pole to the premise
1. Consolidated will install the fiber cable from the last pole to the house (pole to the house or via conduit) at no cost
2. Consolidated will install the fiber cable using existing conduit if it can be used. No distance limit! at no cost
3. Consolidated will install up to 500 feet of new conduit at no cost. Conduit installs over 500ft. will be at the cost of the subscriber/property owner.
4. Consolidated will return and bury conduit/fiber cable that may have been laid on the ground due to frozen conduit or other issues.
5. The conduit Fidium uses is less than 3/4 inch and can be laid on the ground. It may look like plain cable but it is not!
Need your Starlink anymore or Need an Affordable Computer? See give IT get IT.
Fidium Fiber Connection for the "last pole" to the house
Once an inside installation is scheduled, installers will complete exterior tasks before that scheduled date you receive. If tasks were not completed for whatever reason, a service connection might slide. No one needs to be at the property for the the exterior work, but if situations might need explanation, it might be beneficial for someone to be there. That timing is NOT known by anyone you might call.
The tasks may include:
1. Fiber down a road or long driveway to the last pole. Resident does not need to be there.
2. Fiber in a new or existing conduit to the outside of the house and then ready for the installers (or last pole to the house exterior). Resident does not need to be there.
3. Actual scheduled Installation date. Resident needs to be there.
4. If a premise has no clear communication path and a conduit is needed, it may have to be installed under or over the ground.
Monthly Pricing is shown on the Q&A Page of this site, but Fidium Fiber will have the latest.
For additional process info. see: https://www.fidiumfiber.com/Support/getting-started/getting-ready-for-your-installation
Once an inside installation is scheduled, installers will complete exterior tasks before that scheduled date you receive. If tasks were not completed for whatever reason, a service connection might slide. No one needs to be at the property for the the exterior work, but if situations might need explanation, it might be beneficial for someone to be there. That timing is NOT known by anyone you might call.
The tasks may include:
1. Fiber down a road or long driveway to the last pole. Resident does not need to be there.
2. Fiber in a new or existing conduit to the outside of the house and then ready for the installers (or last pole to the house exterior). Resident does not need to be there.
3. Actual scheduled Installation date. Resident needs to be there.
4. If a premise has no clear communication path and a conduit is needed, it may have to be installed under or over the ground.
Monthly Pricing is shown on the Q&A Page of this site, but Fidium Fiber will have the latest.
For additional process info. see: https://www.fidiumfiber.com/Support/getting-started/getting-ready-for-your-installation
Are you a Consolidated Business Fiber Customer (those that had fiber service before Fidium) at your home or place of work, but want to convert to Fidium Fiber?
Consolidated’s official policy is to waive the early termination fee for any Consolidated Business Fiber customer who is converting to the Fidium Residential Internet service.
The early termination fee will be waived by contacting Consolidated Business Support at 844-968-7224 and follow the prompts to Business Support. If you have tried and been unsuccessful, please contact Carol Granger (carol.granger@consolidated.com and 866-534-2950.
Consolidated’s official policy is to waive the early termination fee for any Consolidated Business Fiber customer who is converting to the Fidium Residential Internet service.
The early termination fee will be waived by contacting Consolidated Business Support at 844-968-7224 and follow the prompts to Business Support. If you have tried and been unsuccessful, please contact Carol Granger (carol.granger@consolidated.com and 866-534-2950.
"Consolidated Communications to Deliver Fidium Fiber Internet to 22,000 Rural Maine Homes and Businesses through Connect Maine Partnership $18.3 million NTIA grant enables public private partnership to deliver gigabit fiber to Rangeley Lakes Region, the Blue Hill Peninsula and Farmington areas..."
Peninsula Beneficiaries: Blue Hill, Brooklin, Brooksville, Castine, Deer Isle, Penobscot, Sedgwick and Stonington (See press release)
Peninsula Beneficiaries: Blue Hill, Brooklin, Brooksville, Castine, Deer Isle, Penobscot, Sedgwick and Stonington (See press release)
Award Summary
National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) AWARD
ConnectMaine is awarded funds from the NTIA to help provide Fiber to the Premise (FTTP) for the Blue Hill Peninsula. The combination of funding from NTIA, CCI’s prior FCC RDOF award, and CCI's own financial contribution, makes this possible. ConnectMaine submitted an application on August 17th for part of the NTIA funds set aside for Broadband ($288 Million). The application process occurred concurrently with the 4-Town RFP process and ConnectMaine chose CCI (www.fidiumfiber.com) as the Internet Service Provider (ISP) for area. The award was announced February 25th 2022 and requires no funding from the communities it will serve. It technically meets and geographically exceeds the 4-Town Joint Report's goals. Only 13 applications of 230 received were awarded.
Blue Hill, Brooksville, Deer Isle and Penobscot (The Towns) released a Request for Proposal (RFP) on July 9th 2021, receiving proposals from six (6) Respondents. The 4-Town Joint Status Report and Process Review was released January 7th.
The RFP and Joint Status Report outline the following baseline for service:
National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) AWARD
ConnectMaine is awarded funds from the NTIA to help provide Fiber to the Premise (FTTP) for the Blue Hill Peninsula. The combination of funding from NTIA, CCI’s prior FCC RDOF award, and CCI's own financial contribution, makes this possible. ConnectMaine submitted an application on August 17th for part of the NTIA funds set aside for Broadband ($288 Million). The application process occurred concurrently with the 4-Town RFP process and ConnectMaine chose CCI (www.fidiumfiber.com) as the Internet Service Provider (ISP) for area. The award was announced February 25th 2022 and requires no funding from the communities it will serve. It technically meets and geographically exceeds the 4-Town Joint Report's goals. Only 13 applications of 230 received were awarded.
Blue Hill, Brooksville, Deer Isle and Penobscot (The Towns) released a Request for Proposal (RFP) on July 9th 2021, receiving proposals from six (6) Respondents. The 4-Town Joint Status Report and Process Review was released January 7th.
The RFP and Joint Status Report outline the following baseline for service:
- Full Fiber Optic Network: Fiber to the Premise (FTTP)
- Ubiquitous: Available to any location currently served by grid-connected electricity and/or wireline telephone
- Available capacity of 1000 Mbps (1 Gbps) Upload and Download [equivalency] or greater
- Symmetrical service (i.e., 100Mbps/100Mbps)
- No data caps and no throttling of data
- Aerial (or existing available conduit) installation standard with minimal start-up/connection costs; reasonable connections and underground requirements identified and addressed as applicable
The Castine to Brooksville undersea cable is shown in the photos below (Click to make larger).
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| State of Maine-Statewide Broadband Action Plan 2020.pdf |