Isle Au Haut Installs First Subsea Cable, Bringing High-Speed Internet Access
By VanillaPlus
November 13, 2024
Isle Au Haut has installed its first subsea telecommunications cable earlier this week, bringing the long-term vision of access to universal broadband internet to this unbridged year-round island community for the very first time. The 10km submarine cable now connects Isle au Haut to Stonington on Deer Isle, which has terrestrial connections to the mainland.
At the behest of the State of Maine, Axiom Technologies spearheaded the project and will provide services via the now-installed cable. Axiom commissioned Pioneer Consulting to provide key advice and connect the project to pivotal resources. Funding for this project came in the form of a US$1.2M grant from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and the State of Maine as part of a larger US$28M grant being administered by the Maine Connectivity Authority and intended to support broadband expansion into underserved, and especially rural, communities.
“Like municipal power and introduction of telecommunications before it, access to high-speed internet is a transformational project for Isle au Haut,” said Mark Ouellette, the president and CEO of Axiom. “Broadband is a critical link for sustainable communities. It can support local businesses, attract year-round residents, encourage remote workers to settle on the Island, and enhance the cultural and economic life of the whole community. Axiom is proud to be at the centre of this critical project.”
“Subsea cables are ideal for communities like Isle Au Haut who wish to build a future-proof system and also avoid large microwave towers that disrupt natural vistas near Acadia National Park,” said Gavin Tully, the managing partner at Pioneer Consulting. “It’s a winning solution for everyone, and Pioneer is proud to help bring broadband infrastructure to rural communities. Unlike most of our long-haul, international projects, Isle au Haut has given us the opportunity to work directly with the end-users, the people themselves, who will benefit from this broadband service.”
