A full fiber optic build-out in Boothbay Harbor will cost about $4.1 million, Lincolnville Communications (LCI) Director of Sales and Marketing Alan Hinsey said May 3. Hinsey and LCI Vice President of Engineering and Operations Randal Manning illustrated what the costs of expanding fiber broadband entail and how next steps might look for LCI and the town if the two come to an agreement.

Hinsey said four miles of existing LCI fiber sits in front of 550 locations and full build-out would bring over 38 more miles of fiber across 2,438 potential subscribers.

“We never get 100%, but I'm doing this so the numbers show you the total, so if we built out to everybody, here's what it would look like,” said Hinsey. All that construction cost – getting on the pole, licensing, make-ready costs – and the actual pole to premise cost, from that pole all the way into the house or business, is $4.1 million.”

Acknowledging the take-rate, or market share, would not be 100%, Hinsey said 50% is more realistic and the price would be shy of $2.7 million, including building out 100% for future subscribers not opting into the service while subtracting the pole-to-premise costs for those not opting in.

The $2.7 million is also where the town and LCI would begin negotiations on the layout of the project and each party’s investment. Said Manning, “The best for both of us would be to make sure we're getting some rural areas, but also letting us get some dense areas so we can get the income we need to support more build-out. So, we'd need to get a certain percentage of each.”

Town Manager Julia Latter explained to committee members, a project would need to go out for a request for proposals so other companies could bid. Members Darrell Gudroe, Tom Minerich and Mike McBride plan to hold a subcommittee meeting to determine what a project might entail; the full committee will meet with a representative from Spectrum June 7 via Zoom to discuss the services that company has to offer.