Chappaquiddick residents who have fought long and hard to get cable and internet service to the tiny island are less than two weeks away from another critical hurdle.
Comcast has said it needs to receive letters of commitment from two hundred and seventy Chappy homeowners by the first of October in order for the cable giant to provide service. Though more than two hundred and seventy people have verbally committed, according to proponents, an escrow agent at the Edgartown National Bank has received fewer than two hundred and forty letters to date.
With an Oct. 1 deadline fast approaching, Chappaquiddick is nearing the goal for phase one of the small island’s quest to get cable and internet service.
Chappaquiddick resident Woody Filley told the Edgartown selectmen Tuesday that nearly 270 people, the required minimum, have said they will submit commitment letters to Comcast by the deadline.
While debate continues about the placement of cell phone towers in other parts of the Island, Chappaquiddick residents continue to fight to bring cell phone and cable service to the small island off the coast of downtown Edgartown.
The committee negotiating cable television service for the six Island towns signed off Wednesday morning on a draft contract for the next 10 years.
The contract, which now must be ratified by individual towns, includes expanded service to underserved areas, a senior discount and $620,000 in capital funding for the Island public television station MVTV.
More than a year after an Islandwide contract with the cable television giant Comcast expired, a proposed new contract that includes service to Chappaquiddick has come before the six-town negotiating committee.A final proposal from Comcast was sent to the Vineyard cable advisory committee on Sept. 6. After months of keeping its cards close to the vest on the subject of service to Chappaquiddick, Comcast is now proposing a $1.58 million project to bring cable service to the small island that is part of the town of Edgartown. Under the proposal, subscribers and the cable company would share the cost of installing conduit.
With Edgartown noticeably unrepresented, the Islandwide group responsible for negotiating a new franchise agreement with Comcast turned its attention this week to Vineyard neighborhoods other than Chappaquiddick that lack cable television service. Areas at issue include Indian Hill Road and Seven Gates in West Tisbury, and Quansoo, Middle Line Road and Meeting House Way in Chilmark.