Working Internet ASAP Program

Working Internet ASAP Program is sponsored by Maine Connectivity Authority (MCA). The Working Internet ASAP Program provides a low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite internet option for qualified remote and rural locations in Maine that currently have no other internet service options.

Working Internet ASAP | MCA Working Internet ASAP (WIA) The Working Internet ASAP Program provides a low Earth orbit satellite internet access option for qualified remote and rural locations in Maine. These homes and businesses are extremely difficult to reach and currently have no service or technology option .

Since 2022, MCA has facilitated over $200 million of federal and state funding to help connect over 86,000 locations in Maine to affordable high-speed internet. As of October 2024 less than 1. 5% of locations, or approximately 9,000 homes and businesses in Maine, have no service or technology of any kind (including cable, DSL, or fixed wireless) and no current project planned to connect those locations.

MCA will coordinate the bulk purchase and deployment of LEO satellite hardware and service reservations to ensure that eligible locations have the option to receive LEO equipment and installation support, and access internet service.

​​ ​​​​ Locations in Maine that currently have no other technology or service options (including cable, DSL, or fixed wireless) ​ Starting in December 2024, MCA will accept enrollments into the program on a rolling basis Senior Manager, Grants & Programs dbresnahan@maineconnectivity. org ​ "While we build the infrastructure for our future, we can't afford for people to be living in the digital dark."

- Andrew Butcher, MCA President Eligible homes and businesses can follow the steps to enroll online through the WIA Enrollment Portal . For any questions about the enrollment process, reach out to MCA directly at wia@maineconnectivity. org .

You will need an email address at the time of enrollment. ​ For those who have purchased a Starlink after August 1st, 2024, we are able to offer a credit for the value of the hardware to the user's Starlink account that can be used towards monthly service payments.

​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Enter the Enrollment Portal As Maine’s public agency committed to expanding broadband access and digital equity, MCA is utilizing all available technologies and partnerships to ensure reliable high-speed internet for all Maine people. The WIA Program represents another critical step in fulfilling this commitment.

Starting in December 2024, ​MCA will provide subsidized LEO satellite equipment and installation support for people in Maine who live and work at eligible locations. Under the WIA Program, MCA plans to: Enable qualifying households to have an opportunity to access internet service before 2025. Fund and secure reservations for LEO satellite network services to up to 9,000 eligible locations.

Fund the costs of and coordinate the bulk purchase and deployment of equipment to be installed at each eligible location to receive LEO satellite internet service. ​ The WIA Program is part of complementary funding programs MCA has developed, implemented, and executed in the past two years.

In 2025, MCA will manage the investment of an additional $350 million in broadband infrastructure to serve the remaining 5% of locations in Maine that currently have slow and unreliable internet service. Who is eligible to apply? The WIA Program represents the first MCA program where eligible applicants are individuals themselves .

MCA will conduct outreach to eligible locations via direct mail and through Regional & Wabanaki Broadband Partners . Support for technology installation and use will be offered to all eligible applicants. Use the toolkit below to access these resources.

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