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Hampstead Selectboard approves move toward Fidium fiber and VOIP system pending five-year price lock
Summary
The Hampstead Selectboard voted unanimously to proceed with a Fidium proposal to replace town internet and phone systems with fiber and VOIP across town buildings, contingent on confirmation that contract pricing can be locked for five years; the change is expected to increase speeds from 50 Mbps to 1 Gbps and yield estimated savings of $9,192.
The Hampstead Selectboard voted unanimously June 8 to proceed with a Fidium proposal to replace the town’s internet and telephone infrastructure with fiber and VOIP, pending confirmation that the company will honor a five-year price lock and authorizing Town Administrator Michael Carrier to sign the agreement.
Town Administrator Michael Carrier told the board that the proposal would move internet service for the Town Office, Police Department, gym, museum, meeting house and Department of Public Works from 50 Mbps to 1 Gbps, update the phone system to VOIP, include three free months of service and an estimated cost savings of $9,192. Carrier said the town is seeking written confirmation about whether the quoted pricing can be secured for five years before final execution.
The proposal would retire copper phone lines and replace them with fiber-based service. Assistant Town Administrator Tina Harrington told the board that the town’s franchise fee arrangements with Comcast are specific to cable television and would not be affected by switching the town’s internet and phone services to Fidium; the town’s PEG station would continue to run through Comcast, she said. Selectman Guthrie asked whether Comcast had been asked to submit a competing proposal; Harrington said Comcast was not asked for a proposal in this instance.
Selectman Warnock moved to proceed with the Fidium agreement, pending the five-year price-lock response and to allow Carrier to sign the agreement; Selectman Morse seconded. The motion passed with all in favor.
The board asked to invite the Cable Committee to the next Selectboard meeting to update members on streaming and posting meetings to YouTube and to confirm any operational impacts on town-produced content. The town will return to the board with the written price-lock confirmation before the contract is executed.
The board took the vote at the June 8 meeting and gave conditional authority to the Town Administrator to sign the agreement once the five-year pricing confirmation is received.
