Internet connectivity at Sheepscot

[Graham Buxton]

Periodically I see references on the forum to the somewhat 'limited'  Internet connectivity available at the Sheepscot campus.

So it appears to be good news that there is a project to improve connectivity in Lincoln County that was awarded a $6M grant a few days ago. Story links:

https://www.wiscassetnewspaper.com/article/6m-grant-aid-broadband-wiscasset-boothbay-edgecomb-woolwich-other-towns/189896

https://www.telecompetitor.com/maine-connectivity-authority-announces-9-6-million-in-broadband-grants/

The Lincoln County and Consolidated Communications partnership received an award of $6,000,000, matched by $24,309,864 in private and public investment including Lincoln County American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds.
...
In partnership with Consolidated Communications, this project will serve 14,436 homes and businesses in Woolwich (in Sagadahoc County), Wiscasset, Alna, Dresden, Boothbay, Edgecomb, Waldoboro, Whitefield and Nobleboro.

Details of exactly what is planned seem to be scarce, however IMO there is likely to be significant amounts of fiber installed.

[Benjamin Richards]

I think what is limited is mostly cell coverage. From the towers in Damariscotta, Golden Ridge creates a "shadow" over most of the campus. This is easily demonstrated by the fact that I can get cell service just by going upstairs.

Broadband internet on campus is fast and reliable, such that I am able to work my day job remotely from the Percival House without any slowness or other issues. My guess is the problems on past livestreams have come when the streamer strays too far from WiFi coverage (which is mostly just inside buildings and the immediate vicinity.)

Still, we recently had fiber installed just a bit further south (Topsham) and it had the immediate and desirable effect of lowering prices across the board.

[Graham Buxton]

Its good that you are able to get your work done remotely.
But according to the BOD Meeting Zoom instructions, there are issues at times.

4. The online Moderator shall, if practicable, provide the Agenda and prepared reports at the start of the meeting via the relevant topic and thread on the WW&F Discussion Forum. Please note that due to the tenuous Internet connection available at Sheepscot, this is not always possible.

I believe that I have also seen a recent reference to [possibly] hosting a server that was deemed problematic due to connectivity, but I haven't found that reference at this point.

[Ed Lecuyer]

My experience is that Internet at Sheepscot is good most of the time, but not as good as I get down the street (with Fiber and a different provider.)

Ben's assessment is pretty much spot on. At this time, most of the issues are with wifi and/or cell coverage. Another wifi transmitter near the platform area would probably help, as would one somewhere centrally located in the main shop building.

The reference in the post Graham cited is dated (it's cut & pasted every month) so it could be updated. That said, there are still times where the whole online meeting is less than ideal, and I'm not sure the table-top mic we are using works correctly anymore.

[Ed Lecuyer]

LOL.
When posting that reply (at home), I had an Internet glitch.

[Graham Buxton]

The FCC, with state and local partners has compiled a Broadband database for every USA address. Put in an address here:
https://broadbandmap.fcc.gov/home

Here is what the FCC Database shows for 97 Cross Road:



I'm don't see anything there that looks like a traditional Telco, so presumably the Museum connection is through the cable company. And I wouldn't be surprised that those speeds shown are not consistently achieved. 

[Ed Lecuyer]

Yes, our connection at Sheepscot is with Spectrum (and I doubt we get the speed advertised in that chart, at least consistently.)

Down the street I have Tidewater Telecom Fiber, and am getting 1000Mbps.

[Bill Reidy]

My Sheepscot campus internet experience closely matches Ben's description.  The next time I need to use my cell, I'll try the second floor!

I attend most monthly Board meetings remotely.  I usually don't see issues with the broadcast quality, aside from sound occasionally, which I attribute to mic location.

On a tangential note, is this a 5G antenna on the Route 218 utility pole near Averill Road?

[Graham Buxton]

This Verizon blog page about "fixed wireless" shows a pole top antenna similar in shape to the one near Averill Rd. In the Verizon case the amplifier/controller boxes are close to the antenna, whereas the Averill Rd instance has the boxes below the high voltage wires.

https://www.verizon.com/about/blog/fixed-wireless-access

There is a benefit to having the control boxes below the high voltage wires as the 'normal' wireless maintenance crews may not need training to deal with high voltages, so those with lesser experience can be used. (read: pay them less), and the bucket trucks can have shorter booms (costs less).

The FCC database page says there are two candidates for FWA (fixed wireless) in the Alna area, Verizon and Redzone. I haven't seen anything that suggests who the Averill Rd setup belongs to.

[James Patten]

I think the antennae similar to what is in Bill's picture are the property of the electric utility, aka Central Maine Power aka CMP.  Some years ago CMP installed new boxes on the sides of everyone's houses which wirelessly communicate their status back to the mothership.  Those antennae are the receivers for those boxes.