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Fiber-to-the-door in Maine? (self.Maine)

submitted ago by neuromonkeyBangor

A couple of providers (Fairpoint: Kittery only, Oxford Networks: a bunch of rural locations,) provide residential fiber service in Maine, though they have both told me that they have no plans on expanding their service areas.

Apparently there are two backbones running to Bangor, one from Augusta and one from Portland. Why does nobody offer fiber service in Bangor, but more importantly, why are there no plans to offer it? Everyone I know in Bangor would sign up in an instant if it were available.

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[–]xach 2 points3 points ago

My understanding is that the last time it was tried in Maine at the residential level it was a financial failure, and that has prompted reluctance by investors to finance another shot at it.

I think it's a great idea and I would love to get it too but it's a very, very capital-intensive process and you have to persuade conservative, risk-averse bankers to pony up the money for it.

[–]neuromonkeyBangor[S] 1 point2 points ago

Mm. I guess it'll get driven by new practices that cause consumers to demand it. Great business model--playing catch-up. It's obvious that the world has moved onto the net for nearly everything, and that's only going to continue, probably in ways we don't even suspect yet. Fiber will be the only way to go.

<sigh> Looks like I'll be gone before that happens here. Ah, well. Tons of fiber providers in Portland, OR.

[–]xach 1 point2 points ago

The trick (as with anything) is being able to offer at a price enough people will pay while still making a profit. It's tough with fiber and low population density.

[–]xach 0 points1 point ago

And even with a relatively-dense (for Maine) place like Bangor, fiber economies of scale work for running fiber to e.g. 10-or-more-story apartment buildings in New York, Boston, or the like, not to every house in a neighborhood.

[–]neuromonkeyBangor[S] 1 point2 points ago

Mmm. You make excellent points. You have made me feel even better about moving the hell away from here.

[–]xach 1 point2 points ago

Your sunny optimism will surely be missed.

[–]neuromonkeyBangor[S] 4 points5 points ago

Anything I might have said or done that could have given even the slightest suggestion of optimism was due to an error on my part. I regret the mistake and will do my utmost to be more vigilant in the future.

[–]hawk82waterville area 2 points3 points ago

Build out costs + utility pole leases are expensive.

[–]neuromonkeyBangor[S] 0 points1 point ago

True, but A) it's an inevitable step in building the information infrastructure, so I'd think that someone would want to own the fiber, and B) once you have a customer base, you can leverage future earnings based on that.

[–]hawk82waterville area 1 point2 points ago

The problem with marketing FTTH to residential customers is that they tent to move around, cancel service, etc and you (as the provider) are stuck with expensive gear in a building that might not be occupied for a long time. This is why I think Oxford has stopped marketing their service to residential customers, especially in their newer service areas like Waterville and Augusta. Businesses tend to stick around for longer, and can be sold on additional services like multiple phone lines.

[–]neuromonkeyBangor[S] 0 points1 point ago

True. When I asked Oxford if they'd do fiber in Bangor, they asked, "for residential service?" I should ask if they'll sell business service here.

[–]mypenquinisl33t 1 point2 points ago

there are plans in the works for southern maine, biddeford-saco area FTTH but I can't release much more information about it. It's a huge investment that most companies here simply can not afford without substantial government grants.

[–]neuromonkeyBangor[S] 0 points1 point ago

Well. In 5 years, everything will be different. Also, I'll be gone from Maine.

[–][deleted] ago

[deleted]

[–]neuromonkeyBangor[S] 1 point2 points ago

Yes. And young people are all ignorant, narcissistic, semi-literate, perpetually self-documenting retards.

So... 2/3 of the population isn't over 40. It doesn't really matter what they'd use it for as long as they paid for service.

[–]cwm44Hancock County 1 point2 points ago

It looks like Mr Craven downvoted all your in thread comments because he couldn't stand by his words. Upvoted.

[–]neuromonkeyBangor[S] 2 points3 points ago

Oh no! How ever will I get by without those points?

<sigh> I'm sort of getting tired of trying to have intelligent conversations on reddit. Ah, well. Back to 4chan.

[–][deleted] 1 point2 points ago

You may have just heard me laughing from the east side of Bangor. I wouldn't say 4chan is much better.

4chan (pretend greentext):

> be 14

> fappin on chicken nuggets

> suddenly athiest

> nigger

> reddit is gay

Reddit:

When I was 14 I thought it would be a good idea to relieve my sexual desires by proxy of processed poultry, when I came to the realization that there was no god (I was reading Dawkins at the time, you see), and an African-American friend walked in on me and said, "NOPE, CHUCK TESTA!".

EDIT: OMG TY SO MUCH FOR TEH UPBOATS!1! COULDNT HAVE DONE IT WITHOUT YOU!1!!

I think the main problem with reddit is either people here are too intelligent (and are aware of it), or they've got a case of pseudo-intellectuality (and aren't aware of it).

[–]neuromonkeyBangor[S] 2 points3 points ago

Why can't we have both?

[–]MuzzyIsMe 1 point2 points ago

I've got fiber from Oxford Networks right in town in Auburn... not exactly rural, but I get what you're saying. It's awesome. Cheap, super fast and extremely reliable. It hasn't gone down once in the 8 months I've had it, even during bad storms that knock out the power. They even put the "node" they install on a battery backup, even when power goes out, you can hop online (provided you've got some kind of battery powered device, of course). I'm going to hate moving out of this apartment and into a place with a copper pipe again...

I worked at GWI for some time, and I know fiber to the prem is on a "wishlist" for them, but I don't think it'll be anytime too soon.

The "Three Ring Binder" project (see http://www.mainefiberco.com/) may open up the opportunity for more competition and hopefully some smaller local and regional providers will enter the game and go after the fiber to the prem market.

I think it'll happen eventually, just takes time... business demand is what pushes the fiber out, and once it's deployed, it's easy to drop it to the prem.

[–]neuromonkeyBangor[S] 0 points1 point ago

Here's hoping!

[–]_femmeCaribou 1 point2 points ago

Be happy you have what you have. My home in Caribou doesn't have anything but dialup and there's nothing available. :\

[–]neuromonkeyBangor[S] 0 points1 point ago

Point taken.

[–]webquest 0 points1 point ago

Forget FTTH in most of Maine.

The game changes with cellular LTE and wholesale service providers like LightSquared (if they ever get their GPS problems figured out). It's the only type of ulta high speed service that can scale efficiently.

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