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Local ISP seeks permission to place antenna on Pocomoke water tower to deliver local TV and wireless internet
Summary
A representative from Toffee described plans to mount an antenna on the city water tower to receive local TV channels and discussed longer-term plans to add high-speed wireless service; council said it would place the item on a future agenda for consideration of a contract.
A representative of Toffee, a regional internet and television provider, asked the Pocomoke City mayor and council for permission to place an antenna and, eventually, wireless equipment on the city water tower to bring local television channels and next-generation wireless broadband to Pocomoke and the surrounding area.
The presenter — who identified himself as Mike of Toffee — said the company already operates on the Delmarva shore and is based in Chestertown. He said the antenna would feed local channels into a small equipment hut below the tower and that a later phase could add wireless antennas capable of delivering fiber-like speeds (up to about 1 gigabit per second in optimal conditions) to downtown and much of the city. He said proposed consumer pricing for high-speed residential service would start around $69 per month for an internet-only package.
Why it matters: The proposal could provide an alternative to cable providers for residents outside current cable footprints and improve reception of local broadcast channels. Toffee said the antenna coverage area would extend from the Virginia line up to Wailtleyville (as described by the presenter) and that the company has experience installing antenna sites and pole-mounted gear in nearby counties.
Council response and next steps: The council agreed to place the proposal on an upcoming agenda for formal consideration; the mayor and council said the city attorney would need to review and draft a contract, and the item would return for a vote. At the meeting council members asked about impacts to newly installed water meters, interference and the company’s prior contracts; the presenter said there would be no effect on meters and that similar installations did not cause interference.
Supporting details: The presenter discussed prior negotiated arrangements in other counties and said price and contract terms are negotiable (a prior draft lease cited in the presentation had proposed a low monthly payment figure in a separate locality but was not final for Pocomoke). The council anticipates a timeline of roughly one to two months for legal review and scheduling of a formal vote.
