Internet access assistance for families with students at home — Tidewater Telecom, Lincolnville Telephone, and LCI Fiber Optic Network

6.2.20 – Press Release – for immediate release

Bremen Maine will become the first mainland town
in the Midcoast Region to become
a 100% Fiber to the Home Community.

After a highly competitive process, the ConnectME authority awarded just three (3) broadband infrastructure grants statewide on Wednesday May 27th. Tidewater Telecom partnering with the Town of Bremen was chosen to receive one of those grants.

$120,000 was awarded to support the Bremen fiber optic internet build out project that will bring high speed broadband to approximately 400 more unserved homes and businesses in this rural area of Midcoast Maine. Tidewater Telecom will be investing $480,435.00 of its own capital into this project. Approximately 25 miles of fiber optic cable will be built out in Bremen. The total cost of the project is $600,435.00 (80% funded by Tidewater Telecom and 20% funded by the ConnectME grant). Plus non-cash, in-kind services valued at $18,455.00 was provided by the Town of Bremen and the Bremen Broadband Committee.

Christa Thorpe, Chair of the Bremen Broadband Committee was thrilled, “I’m so proud of our community for this accomplishment. It just goes to show what’s possible when folks come together around a common goal. Almost half the town lent their voices to this effort – that’s incredible. To all our neighbors, including the team at Tidewater, the broadband committee says thank you and well done.”

Shirley Manning, Owner and President of Tidewater Telecom said, “We are honored to have been chosen by the Town of Bremen to be their partner in this important infrastructure enhancement for the long-term economic viability of their town. Bringing this advanced fiber optic broadband technology to every home and business to every town in our region is our ultimate goal.”

Bremen Selectman John (Boe) Marsh added, “The Selectmen of Bremen are so pleased and happy (thrilled actually) about the award of the ConnectMe grant for our town. Its effect will be staggeringly positive for everyone in our community in so many ways. Also, as significant, we are so proud of our citizens and those outstanding people among us who took the initiative to work with Tidewater Telecom to make this happen…..Yay!!!”

“The fact that 400 previously unserved homes and businesses will soon have access to super-fast and reliable internet is awesome,” said Alan Hinsey, Director of Marketing and Sales for LCI and Tidewater Telecom. Hinsey added. “We are so proud to be a part of this effort. And proud that Bremen will be the first 100% Fiber to the Home mainland community in Midcoast Maine Bringing fiber optic broadband to all students, families, telecommuters, distance learners, businesses and senior citizens can truly be life changing.” Hinsey said over 12 months of work went into this grant application, “The real credit goes to the Town officials, businesses and residents in Bremen. They worked their butts off to secure this grant – they deserve it.”

Tidewater Telecom will assemble its project team in July and begin accepting applications from the 400 unserved homes in Bremen later this summer, with plans to begin construction of the fiber optic network this fall and winter. The fiber buildout to all 400 homes will be completed no later than June 30, 2021.

This is the 17th ConnectME Broadband grant that the LTC Family of Companies has been awarded. All 16 of the previous grant projects have been completed on time and within budget – bringing blazing fast fiber optic broadband to over 2,770 rural homes and businesses in rural Maine.

Who is LCI/Tidewater Telecom?:

Tidewater Telecom is a locally owned Midcoast Maine business. Tidewater is a division of the LTC Family of Companies, which also includes the Lincolnville Telephone Company and LCI Fiber Optic Network. Founded in 1904, LTC has been serving the telecommunication needs in the Midcoast for over 100 years. Shirley Manning is President and owner and proud that her family owned Maine business is a recipient of the Governor’s Award for Business Excellence.

Now with approximately 50 employees, Tidewater Telecom operates out of its state-of-the-art Network Operations Center in Nobleboro, Maine. The secure servers, data center, digital switching hub, engineering department, network monitoring services, technical support division, installation crews, and customer service center are all located in the Midcoast facility. They also maintain a facility in Lincolnville that houses technical crews who serve the greater Camden, Rockport, Lincolnville, Northport and Belfast area.

For media inquiries, interviews, or tours of the Tidewater Telecom facility,

please contact: Alan Hinsey, Director of Marketing & Sales

(207) 380-6162 alanh@lcifiber.net

www.Tidewater.net

See Governor Mills’ ConnectME Grant press release here:

https://www.maine.gov/governor/mills/news/connectmaine-awards-broadband-grants-seven-maine-communities-2020-06-02

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• The “LTC Family of Companies” is a family owned Maine business.
• We own and maintain thousands of miles of phone and fiber optic broadband lines in Maine. Our 50 employees are headquartered in Nobleboro, Maine where we provide: Secure Servers; Digital Switching Hubs; VOIP Soft-switch systems & hosted PBX; Engineering & System Design Department; Network Monitoring Services; a Technical Support Division; and a Customer Service Center
• LCI Fiber Optic Network is the largest provider of “fiber to the premises” service (FTTP) in all of Coastal Maine