The plan was for private financing. Last I head, no one would lend them
the money to get started. They went for financing last September. What
timing! By last winter I believe they concluded that the only way they
would be able to borrow money during the "credit crisis" was if the Feds
gave loan guarantees. For half the amount, maybe? So they weren't
looking for money from the Feds, just a co-signer. They seem to think
that in this environment, without it, the project is dead.
But now, maybe they have both hands out?
I have no direct involvement; I've just been watching it closely for the
last two years. I live in Stockbridge. My broadband consists of a tin
can and a string.
Frank
Rion D'Luz wrote:
On Monday 24 August 2009, Stan Brinkerhoff wrote:
Does anyone have insight to this? I haven't heard anything about ECF in
months -- and this email sounds like "WE ARE READY TO GO!", except it seems
as though its life or death is defined by federal stimulus funding? I didnt
know it was directly tied to that -- I thought towns were going to self-fund
the project and repay the network costs through subscribership.
http://ecfiber.net
Welcome to the East Central Vermont Community Fiber Network's public website.
above is the organizing part of 'ValleyNet' http://www.valleyfiber.net/
ValleyFiber is a new initiative by ValleyNet to help towns organize themselves
to create and use town-wide fiber-optic networks to offer residents,
organizations, municipal government, and businesses high-speed Internet,
telephone, and television access without burdening taxpayers.
There are some heavy hitters in this org and i'm curious as to their plan for
last-mile say,
in Johnson, where the bulk of residents are living.
Rion
