By Paul Tuthill
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wamc/local-wamc-958868.mp3
Springfield, MA – Officials say the project to bring high speed internet to vast areas of Massachusetts that lack it has taken a major step forward. The quasi-public state agency in charge of the project has struck a deal with the city of Springfield to plug into a major internet connection point..WAMC's Pioneer Valley Bureau Chief Paul Tuthill reports
The Massachusetts Broadband Institute will use city owned conduits in Springfield to connect its fiber optic network to the regions' central Internet connection point..sometimes referred to as an internet drain..Its located in a building in a technology park that was once part of the Springfield Armory.. MBI's Director Judith Dumont says the connection agreement with Springfield is vitally important to the larger project to bring high speed internet to 123 communities in Western and Central Massachusetts
Dumont says using existing infrastructure in Springfield will save time and money for the 72 million dollar project
The contractor will install a one thousand 338 mile network of fiber optic cable in the project area, much of it over existing utility poles. The project will result in 400 construction jobs. The target for completing the project is in the summer of 2013, but Dumont says because of the deal with Springfield, some communities, that now have only dial-up internet connections could get high speed service later this summer.
45 million dollars in federal stimulus money is being used for the project, and the state put in 26 million dollars through a bond bill. Congressman Richard Neal of Springfield, and Conggresman John Olver of Amherst worked to secure the federal funding.
Likening it to the interstate highway network, Neal said the government had to pay to build the internet infrastructure, because private industry would not
The agreement with Springfield calls for MBI to make broadband connections to 150 schools, libraries, hospitals and public safety buildings in the city.
The city of Springfield's chief economic development director, John Judge, says the broadband connections will help create jobs
Andrew Doty, Springfield's Chief Information Officer says the network is designed to last for decades .
The conduits that snake underground throughout the city date back to when trolleys ran on tracks on Main Street. The city uses the conduits now for traffic control signals and cameras