Massachusetts broadband initiative sent to Governor

Massachusetts is the land of clam chowder, obsessive sports fans, and baked beans. Soon, thanks to a bill introduced by Gov. Deval Patrick and passed by the state legislature, affordable high-speed Internet for all Bay Staters can be added to that list.

The Massachusetts House of Representatives and Senate unanimously passed the broadband bill, which creates The Massachusetts Broadband Institute and funds it with $40 million. The bill, which would provide an incentive for telecommunication companies to offer service in underserved areas, awaits the signature of the Governor, which is expected soon.

Of the 351 towns and cities in Massachusetts, 63 have only partial broadband service and 32 have no access to high-speed Internet at all. This leaves 220,000 residences and over 25,000 businesses without adequate broadband access.

The chief sponsor of the legislation, Representative Daniel Bosley of North Adams, MA, explains the importance of the Broadband Institute's creation:

"This is the culmination of years of work to bring up the telecommunication infrastructure up to speed in my district. Now merchants will have faster access for their electronic transactions and business owners will no longer be at a competitive disadvantage."

Berkshire Connect and Pioneer Valley Connect commissioned a survey in June 2007, that analyzed the broadband marketplace in Massachusetts. The result of a survey, a map outlining the availability of high-speed Internet in each Massachusetts town and city helped articulate the need for this legislation.

In a Berkshire Eagle article, Don Dubendorf, president of Berkshire Connect said:

"It's been a long time coming. We have been relegated by the operation of private markets to second-class status and that has all sorts of impacts on public and private life. This is straightforwardly a necessity in this century, like public sewer systems and public highways."

The creation of the Broadband Institute allows Massachusetts to join other states like Kentucky and Ohio who are taking initiatives to close the digital divide.

Broadband Bill Unanimously Passes the House (iBerkshires)

Establishing and Funding the Massachusetts Broadband Institute (MA House of Representatives)

Massachusetts Broadband Initiative (Broadband Institute website)

Broadband Availability by Municipality (Broadband Institute)

Senate OKs bill for ‘Net access (Berkshire Eagle)