By JIM KINNEY
Business writer
WORTHINGTON - Verizon's $200 million investment to bring its high-speed Internet to thinly populated parts of the hilltowns and Berkshires is starting to pay off, but locals are still looking to the state's Broadband Access Law to make high-speed connections available everywhere.
Verizon's DSL - or digital subscriber line - service became available Wednesday in the Berkshire County town of Florida, the first of the 24 underserved rural towns Verizon targeted with the $200 million investment to come online, said Philip G. Santoro, a Verizon spokesman. The work, which involves installing wire along the road and computer equipment in Verizon facilities, will be done by the end of the year, he said.
"Other towns are going to roll out over the next few weeks and months," Santoro said.
Verizon's work is going on at the same time the state of Massachusetts is getting ready to spend $40 million in bond revenue to bring high-speed Internet to all 32 of the Massachusetts towns where dial-up modems and satellite Internet services are the only Web options.
Commissioner Sharon E. Gillett, of the state's Department of Telecommunications and Cable, praised Verizon's efforts. But she said Verizon is planning to bring its service to 70 percent of the people in the towns where it is working. That will leave 30 percent of the residents in those towns, and everyone in the remaining eight towns, without high-speed service.
"There is still going to be work to do, there are still going to be people who aren't reached," Gillett said. "The governor's initiative is intended to stimulate private investment."
For example, the $40 million in state bond money could go toward installing fiberoptic conduit that a number of providers would then utilize, she said.
The state might also build towers where private providers could place wireless Internet equipment. Gillett, one of the state officials charged with implementing the bill, said a task force is forming and work is still in the planning stages. Gov. Deval L. Patrick signed the Broadband Access Bill into law and authorized the $40 million in bonding earlier this month at a news conference in rural Goshen.
Verizon's Santoro said the company picked the places it would bring high-speed Internet based on its existing equipment. Verizon hasn't yet made decisions about expansion work in 2009.
Michael J. Falk is on the Broadband Committee in the town of Becket, about a 25-minute drive west of Westfield on Route 20. He spends $60 to $80 a month on satellite Internet service, which can be just as fast as DSL.
"But you are subject to atmospheric conditions," he said. "If there is a storm, it might cut out on you."
He said having more Broadband would make it easier for professionals to live in rural towns and telecommute. It would also let local businesses sell their wares on the Web.
Verizon is working in the towns of Becket, Blandford, Colrain, Cummington, Goshen, Hancock, Heath, Leverett, Leyden, Middlefield, Monroe, Montgomery, New Ashford, New Marlborough, Pelham, Plainfield, Rowe, Sandisfield, Tolland, Washington, Westhampton, Windsor and Worthington, and to make the service more widely available in Shutesbury.
Business writer Jim Kinney can be reached at jkinney@repub.com
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