At their January 12th Public Meeting, the Blairstown Township Committee voted to jumpstart getting more high-speed fiber optic internet connections in town.
It’s no secret to Blairstown residents that Wi-Fi in the area is spotty and unreliable. Some of these frustrations may be alleviated by the recent move to allow Planet Networks, a Newton-based internet service provider, to use a spare room in the municipal building.
Working its connection down Route 94, Planet Networks brought fiber optic internet speed into limited locations in Blairstown. To continue its expansion, the company needs a service location in town to serve as a hub and rebroadcast signal.
Mayor Rob Moorhead met with Planet Networks’ CEO, Robert Boyle, to discuss finding a location to house a signal bumper. The two decided that a room in the Blairstown Municipal Building might be an ideal place to set up a network rack.
Once a network rack is installed, Moorhead explained, “Finally, Blairstown downtown… and all the other areas in town that they’ve run the fiber optic can be lit up and can go live for customers.”
Not mincing words, he continued, “It’ll allow them to start going in from 94 into the residential areas… What we pay for (is) extremely lousy internet connection here. (It’s) criminal if you ask me. And this will do amazing service.”
The Township Committee voted unanimously to allow Moorhead and Township Attorney Kevin Benbrook to negotiate with Planet Networks. Insurance policies and lease space agreements regarding the network rack will be included in the future contract.
Alex Tironi, Contributing Writer
A recent graduate of George Mason University in Virginia, Alex pursued a degree in journalism with a double minor in American Sign Language and nonprofit studies. She worked as assistant news editor to the Fourth Estate, the university newspaper where she reported on many things but mostly focused on campus crime and PD activity. While working for a nonprofit called the Borgen Project, she wrote about global health and poverty in third-world nations. Alex recently finished an internship writing and editing for a business consulting company in NY. Growing up in the area, she has always been active in her community and brings the same intention as a contributing writer for the Ridge View Echo.
