Hadley Media aims to bring broadband to last 32 homes without it

Hadley  04-19-2023

Hadley 04-19-2023

By SCOTT MERZBACH

Staff Writer

Published: 01-13-2025 3:09 PM

HADLEY — Bringing broadband to 32 homes without it in Hadley, many in the Honey Pot section, is a priority for a municipal digital equity plan being put together for the town.

During a Jan. 7 public forum focused on ensuring there is reliable digital service for all residents, who get Internet and television through Charter Spectrum, Hadley Media Director Alexander LaMarche pledged that he and the Digital Equity Steering Committee are doing their best and fighting hard to ensure all residents have broadband.

“I’m not going to stop until we get this all hooked up,” LaMarche said.

But getting those lines to those homes comes with an estimated $121,000 cost.

It is a main focus of what is being developed by the town committee working with consultants from Kimley-Horn of Waltham using state funding from the Massachusetts Broadband Institute under the Municipal Digital Equity Planning Program.

Kimley-Horn representative Kodi Berger said the idea is to make things better, with the institute wanting to help those underserved with broadband and increase access to and use of Internet. People need broadband to access online portals for hospitals and for teleworking, among the other main uses.

“Everybody needs access to the Internet for so many different reasons now,” Berger said.

Berger said Hadley is not unique in having issues with its provider, with other communities across the state seeing slow Wi-Fi service, cities and towns often limited to one service provider, high costs to consumers for the service and digital literacy gaps.

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Easthampton, Greenfield and Montague are already in the implementation process, which will be the next step for Hadley after getting input from residents.

LaMarche said he is talking with local ISPs and the legislative delegation at the state and federal level about the needs. LaMarche said Hadley is a rural community that needs help now, he’s told politicians.

“If we want Internet for all, we’ve got to do a little better,” LaMarche said.

Committee member Crystal Jackson said officials need to twist the knife into Charter to make sure it is working for the community. “We keep coming out of our pockets to pay for it, but they’re not giving us any extra,” Jackson said.

Among those who has issues with Charter is Patrick Leighton, a Honey Pot Road resident whose home is without broadband Internet. He recalled a time when telephone lines had to be run out to the homes there. LaMarche praised Leighton for advocating for others.

Jack Czajkowski of Mount Warner Road, who teaches at the Greater Commonwealth Virtual School in Greenfield, said there needs to be more competition in Hadley so people have a choice. “It’s absolutely critical that the Internet is working for us to teach,” Czajowski said.

Tony Fyden of Cold Spring Lane said he is concerned with the idea of using town resources to extend lines, when that should be an obligation of Charter.

“Why are we spending our money or grant money on something Charter would benefit from,” Fyden said.

Berger said Hadley, though, needs to make investments and partner with others, as the town doesn’t have the clout to lobby on its own to make changes to Charter Spectrum that could happen at the state level.

“They are working within the bounds of the agreement as of right now, as frustrating as it is,” Berger said.

Scott Merzbach can be reached at smerzbach@gazettenet.com.