Hello, Seekers of Faster Internet Access,

At the 2006 Windham Town Meeting, $2,400 was approved to bring fast Internet connections to the Meeting House and Town Office. The work has nearly been completed to set up DSL on the computer at the library in the Meeting House for anyone to use. Those with laptops with a wireless access feature (WiFi) will also be able to “tune in” there (or even from the parking lot). The library hours are now 1:00 to 5:00 on Wednesday afternoons and will be expanded depending on the response for this service. Our next step is to set up broadband for the Windham Town Office, which will also benefit the Elementary School and the houses nearby.

With the advent of spring and the trees having leafed out, we will be able to conduct tests to determine how we might expand service to others without broadband in Windham and surrounding towns. (Broadband waves can be blocked by dense woods, as well as by hills and mountains.)

We have a few questions that require your immediate response. Please answer the questions at Windham Broadband Questions. This will help us greatly as we determine how we will move forward to deliver service to as many people as possible who are currently without broadband in Windham and the surrounding towns. If you have not already register your interest in receiving a broadband service in the Windham area please register at Broadband Interest Registration .

We have recently heard that Verizon has negotiated with the Vermont Public Service Board to speed up their installation of DSL in areas currently not served. DSL is Verizon's broadband offering in other areas of Vermont. So that gave us a thought, which we filed under the heading of "doesn't cost anything and can't hurt"! If you go to the Verizon website at www.Verizon.com you can enter your phone number in the spaces provided in the center of the page. This is the test for home DSL; if you are looking for it for your business -- which may count more from Verizon's point of view -- go to For Your Business - DSL & Internet from the Verizon home page. We urge you to go the Verizon web site and register your interest in their DSL service. This is not a commitment, but if everybody does it, at least Verizon will see that there are a group of us in this location hoping to get connected.

Mary McCoy and Lydia Pope France
Windham Broadband Project