Broadband Update

Comcast is progressing on the broadband network they are building for Tolland. It should come as no surprise that the coronavirus pandemic has slowed things down but not significantly.

Comcast has completed the mapping of all utility poles, completed, and submitted the applications for those pole licenses to the respective utilities, Eversource and Verizon. Eversource and Verizon will process these applications and schedule surveys to determine the position on the pole where Comcast will attach. As groups of poles are licensed by the utilities, we should start to see the attaching of cabling. Once all cabling is complete, the cable will be tested and connected and be live and drops to the homes.

The completion of this network is still eighteen to twenty-four months away.

Schoolhouse road underground construction is slated to begin in late summer and be completed by November.

The work being done now, the make-ready work, is the longest part of this network build, the make-ready timeline is dependent on the speed at which the utilities provide their plan for each pole. Comcast meets weekly with each utility and discusses progress.

Peter Larkin and his staff at MBI, are in regular contact with Comcast and the utilities to help move the work along.

Peter Larkin has briefed Senator Velis on our Town’s broadband agreement with Comcast and the Senator is interested in helping to do what he can to move things along.

Kevin Donovan