The Falmouth EDIC (Economic Development and Industrial Corporation) has decided to proceed with the OpenCape project that will deploy fiber optic cables to the enterprise subscribers. The OpenCape project aims to deliver seamless undisputed high-speed broadband services to the merchants without any additional cost to them.
The extension of fiber optic service down Main Street will connect to businesses using telephone poles. OpenCape has been in contact with other service providers in the area such as Verizon and Eversource. Verizon and Eversource are the owners of the telephone poles on Main Street. OpenCape would utilize the existing poles to install fiber optic cables.
Addition of fiber optic cables to the existing poles is one of the cheapest and cost-effective methods for broadband deployment. The aerial installation itself is the low-cost deployment method compared to the duct and direct burial methods. Cost-effective deployments can time and money that would enable the service providers to offer a competitive monthly fee to the subscribers.
OpenCape Corporation is a nonprofit technology company headquartered in Barnstable Village at the Barnstable County Complex. OpenCape owns and operates a state-of-the-art fiber-optic network built to serve local governments, businesses, and residents of Southeastern Massachusetts, the Cape & Islands. OpenCape Corporation sells a variety of Internet and Voice-Over-Internet services. OpenCape networks provide broadband services to more than 100 institutions, including libraries, government buildings, schools, colleges, hospitals, public safety agencies, and research institutions.
Businesses that rely on high-speed Internet access and data transfers are choosing OpenCape’s competitive broadband services. Community movements in towns across Cape Cod are paving the way for residential services.
OpenCape owns and oversees the regional fiber optic network that already serves 19 Falmouth municipal buildings and connects towns throughout the Cape. The current plan is to extend the services down Main Street.
The merchants were having difficulty serving customers in a timely manner, due to low upload and download speeds. Connection cost to merchants will depend on the number of subscribers. EDIC hopes to make an agreement with at least 40 subscribers so that it can lower the monthly fee to US$40. If it gets more than 70 merchants, the monthly fee could go below US$27.
Massachusetts has approved a budget line of $80,000 to install the networks, although the total cost will hover around $280,000. EDIC had applied for $200,000 through a Massachusetts economic development bill.
The Mass Development TechDollars program provides loans between $25,000 and $250,000 for nonprofits to cover the cost of buying and installing technology equipment. Mass Development is reviewing paperwork for the $200,000 loan.
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