GWI News

2009-09-28

The Three Ring Binder will create robust competition
among Internet service providers in rural areas.

AUGUSTA – A proposal that would enable faster and more affordable broadband Internet service in 100 rural Maine communities will undergo review Tuesday by a state panel charged with screening projects for possible federal stimulus funding.

Known as the Three Ring Binder, it is one of more than a dozen proposals that the state’s Broadband Strategy Council is reviewing as part of the federal stimulus bill, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

The Three Ring Binder is the result of a collaborative effort among established Maine telecommunications companies and vital Maine institutions to enhance broadband Internet access in rural Maine.
GWI (www.GWI.net), the Biddeford-based Internet service provider, is the lead sponsor of the Three Ring Binder. The project consists of three “rings” of high-capacity fiber-optic cable that would serve as the central arteries for high-speed Internet traffic in rural Maine. One loop will service northern Maine; another will extend from the Mid Coast to Downeast, while a third will enhance Internet connections in Western Maine. In all, the project will feature 1,100 miles of multi-strand fiber optic cable.

The Three Ring Binder will be privately owned and operated by Maine Fiber Company, LLC, and will not be owned or run by any government entity. Maine Fiber, a newly formed private, stand-alone company, will offer low-cost access to the Three Ring Binder’s fiber-optic network on an equal basis to all carriers. These carriers will in turn use the capacity to serve Internet providers and telecommunications companies interested in providing service to rural Maine.

“We believe that a quality, middle-mile network of dark fiber in rural Maine is the key to creating robust competition among broad-band Internet service providers in areas that are currently underserved,” said Fletcher Kittredge, CEO and founder of GWI.

“The Three Ring Binder would give GWI and its competitors a chance to provide affordable, high-speed Internet service not only to approximately 110,000 homes, but to businesses and institutions vital to the state’s social and economic wellbeing,” Kittredge said.

One important beneficiary of the Three Ring Binder would be the University of Maine System. With a statewide fiber network, the university system would be able to expand its own high-speed data network to 10 campuses, and it would enhance the broadband capacity at three of the state’s community colleges.

Local schools and libraries would also have better broadband access. And the project will enable improved communications for 38 government facilities, including 13 of Maine’s county courthouses, 11 county jails, and 14 Maine Department of Health and Human Services district offices.

Health care providers would also be aided in their efforts to cut costs and improve service through the use of modern communications technology. The Three Ring Binder would have direct benefits for the New England TeleHealth Consortium and the Franklin County Healthcare Network as they implement their plans to establish advanced healthcare networks as part of the FCC’s Rural Healthcare Pilot Program.

The Three Ring Binder will be funded through a combination of private funding and a federal stimulus grant. GWI has applied for a $26 million federal grant, and total project costs are expected to be $32.5 million. The federal monies will benefit rural Mainers by greatly enhancing the availability and affordability of high-speed Internet service.
The National Telecommunications & Information Agency (NTIA) of the Department of Commerce and the Rural Utility Service of the Department of Agriculture are administering the federal grant portion.

Additionally, several arms of the State of Maine – including the Governor, the ConnectME Authority, and the Broadband Strategy Council -- are reviewing the Three Ring Binder and more than a dozen other broadband projects. Maine will provide recommendations and guidance as to which projects will be most beneficial, but the final decisions on grant awards will be left to the federal government.

The Three Ring Binder addresses a long-identified need in Maine. The lack of affordable, high-speed Internet service is seen as a threat to the rural Maine economy. Even the smallest of Maine businesses need affordable, broadband service to survive. Yet, there is inadequate broadband service throughout much of rural Maine, and rural customers who request broadband service are often told the service is unavailable. Building a high-capacity fiber network like the Three Ring Binder will directly address this problem.

The state established the ConnectME Authority in 2006 to address the need, and since that time, GWI has been working with state officials on the problem. The lack of so-called “middle mile” fiber optic facilities – a high capacity fiber-optic network that can carry traffic from a range of telecommunications providers – has been identified as a primary obstacle to improved access to broadband in rural Maine.

Passage of the federal stimulus package provides the means for solving this problem. And by setting up a middle-mile network open to all competitors, the Three Ring Binder will leverage federal money into the creation of a competitive private market for “last mile” service to individual customers. Those federal grants will be passed on to customers in the form of more affordable Internet connections.

Years ago, providing such backbone infrastructure was the job of Ma Bell. The telecommunications landscape has changed since then, and phone companies today are focused on what they perceive as more profitable enterprises.

The Three Ring Binder will create a true, “dark fiber” network. The private company owning and operating the system will only be in the business of acting as a wholesaler. The wholesale customers of the network would be Internet Service providers and telephone companies, all of which will have access to the network on an open and nondiscriminatory basis. The Three Ring Binder also includes rules that would prevent any one company from monopolizing the capacity of the network

“The Three Ring Binder does not represent ‘unfair’ competition,” notes Kittredge. “Rather, it establishes an open system that all providers can use on an equal basis. In this regard, Three Ring Binder will promote ‘fair’ competition to the benefit of Maine people.”

2009-05-15

GWI Launches Fiber Optic Network in Cumberland and Aroostook Counties
New Partnership with Nexus Management Expands Data Capabilities

BIDDEFORD, Maine, May 15, 2009 - GWI, a locally owned, independent telecommunications company, has announced the completion of a newly constructed, high-capacity fiber optic network between Portland and Brunswick. The new network is available today to businesses along the coastal corridor, including Portland, Falmouth, Yarmouth, Cumberland, Freeport and Brunswick.

Concurrently, GWI is announcing the construction of a new fiber optic network serving downtown Houlton, Maine. The network will be operational in August.

The new network is GWI’s first wholly-owned venture in fiber optic technology, a high capacity alternative to copper and cable. According to industry experts?), the use of fiber optics over traditional public switch networks for voice, internet and data connectivity offers lower costs, much higher speeds, more flexibility and enhanced reliability.

Initially, the new fiber networks will allow GWI to provide businesses high quality voice and data at up to 1gigabit per second, boosting data speed by ten times at lower cost. Residential customers may also have access in the future.

The venture kicks off a partnership between GWI and Nexus Management of Brunswick to offer more data management options to businesses that want their computer data managed off site. Nexus, which has its U.S. headquarters in Brunswick, and Bowdoin Medical are the first GWI business customers to be using the large-capacity GWI fiber optic network.

“This new network adds to the capabilities we can offer to the businesses of Cumberland County, “ stated Claude Cestaro, Vice President of Commercial Services for GWI. “With this latest venture and the new Nexus partnership, GWI can offer business customers in that corridor a wider range of products.”

“The diverse fiber paths that GWI has built into our Brunswick data center will provide our Maine customers with high speed, reliable access to our data center,” explained Fred Masciangelo, Director of U.S. Sales for Nexus. "GWI's team has created custom business continuity solutions for clients.”

GWI is also in the process of completing a fiber optic network to serve downtown Houlton, with expected completion in about 90 days. “From a data and voice perspective, it will put Houlton on even footing with the urban centers of the state,” said Fletcher Kittredge, CEO and founder of GWI. “Rural access to connectivity is equally important as urban access. In fact, half of GWI’s revenue originates in rural Maine.”

Initial customers using GWI’s new Aroostook network include Houlton Regional Hospital and the University of Maine.

2009-01-16

BIDDEFORD, Maine, January 16, 2009 Beginning today, customers requesting GWI phone service or broadband Internet will need to wait until mid-February for the service to start. During this period, Fairpoint will transition from Verizon information systems to newly built FairPoint systems. This FairPoint project impacts GWI customers because GWI’s telecommunications network is connected to Fairpoint’s network.

GWI encourages customers to continue to contact GWI over the next 30 days for the new services or service changes they need. During this time, GWI will not be able to install new telephone or broadband service, move service to a new location or add new options to existing service. GWI will start service as soon as possible after the FairPoint project is completed.

We apologize for any inconvenience. For additional information about the FairPoint project, please see the following announcement posted on the Maine Public Utilities Commission's web site:

http://www.maine.gov/tools/whatsnew/index.php?topic=puc-pressreleases&id=66419&v=article08

2008-12-08

New Design Delivers on GWI’s Commitment to Customers’ Online Experience



BIDDEFORD, Maine, Dec 8, 2008 – GWI, Maine’s largest local telephone and Internet service provider, announced that it would launch a totally redesigned website on December 4th. Improvements include customer support and navigation changes that make the website easier to use than ever. GWI added that it is also giving its customers a preview of the new website beginning today.



“We’re committed to continuously improving our customers’ online experience by incorporating the latest Internet advances and keeping them informed,” says Fletcher Kittredge, founder and CEO of GWI. “That’s why we want to give all our customers a chance to preview the new site before it launches on December 4th. What hasn’t changed is GWI’s commitment to giving our customers better choices and more control of their online experience with fast, reliable Internet service, and friendly local support for their Maine homes and businesses.”



What’s New on the Site:

• Improved Navigation – Even easier access to everything on the website.
  
• Customer Support – Manage your account and get fast answers to many common questions.
  
• Products and Services – Conveniently laid out for visitors to review all possible combinations of phone and Internet service.
  
• GWI Blog – The latest on GWI’s Public Advocacy on behalf of its customers and all Maine citizens.
  

2007-06-04

GWI Provides Maine Residents More Options for Their Communications Needs



BIDDEFORD, Maine, June 4, 2007 — GWI (GWI), Maine’s largest local telephone and Internet service provider, announces the addition of several new inexpensive calling plans to its phone service offering. GWI also offers its ADSL2+ Broadband service, the fastest available in the state, to residents throughout Maine.



“We are really excited about these new plans because now we can deliver even more affordable phone service options to residents of Maine,” said Fletcher Kittredge, founder and CEO of GWI. “These new plans were designed to give Maine people more choice for their phone service needs. Our unlimited nation-wide calling plan has been very well received, but for those customers who are less frequent callers we now have several plans that will better match their calling needs. At GWI we are committed to bringing Maine residents real choices in both phone and Internet access service.”



GWI's New Phone Plans



In addition to our Unlimited calling plan, which includes unlimited calling throughout the U.S. and Canada, GWI now offers three new calling plans. Our All-Maine plan is perfect for those whose calls are primarily within the state of Maine as it includes all instate calls at one low price. Our Standard plan is geared to those who call primarily local numbers and includes all calls within the customer.s local calling area. With the Basic plan, you pay only for the phone line and all calls are billed per minute, a good solution for those who don.t make outgoing calls on their land-line very often but want the security of having the line there when they need it.



"All of these plans were designed with our customers needs in mind," said Kittredge. "We received feedback from customers on what they wanted and needed in a phone service plan, and structured these plans to meet those needs."



GWI Customers Can Save by Bundling



All of GWI's phone plans have been designed to provide affordable options for Maine residents. But GWI customers can save even more by combining their phone service with Internet access.



"Most of our plans can be bundled with either high-speed broadband or regular dial-up Internet access, and we charge less for each service than if you purchase them individually," explains Kittredge. "And since we offer some of the fastest broadband Internet speeds available anywhere, customers can really get more for less."