High-Speed Internet Coming to Acworth and Sandwich

PLYMOUTH, NH (July 22, 2021) – New Hampshire Electric Cooperative (NHEC) is moving forward with plans to make high-speed internet service available to more than 1,500 homes and businesses in the towns of Sandwich and Acworth.

NHEC, through its subsidiary NH Broadband, will construct fiber optic networks to provide high-speed internet service throughout both communities. Service is expected to be available early 2022. NHEC will be communicating directly with residents of both towns in the coming months and will be providing updates at www.NHBroadband.com.

The project in Sandwich would be supported by federal funding that U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen and Congressman Chris Pappas are working to secure. If received, the funding will help reduce the cost of construction.

Residents of Sandwich and Acworth can pre-register for service and learn more about the project at www.NHBroadband.com. NH Broadband offers internet service options that are designed to meet customers’ needs today and into the future with symmetrical Gigabit upload and download speeds available.

NH Broadband was founded in 2020 to meet the critical need of NHEC’s members for high-speed internet access. Since then, NH Broadband has made high-speed internet service available to more than 1,000 NHEC members in Lempster, Clarksville, Colebrook and Stewartstown.

“Providing high-speed internet access to the residents and businesses of Sandwich and Acworth are the next steps towards NHEC’s goal of ensuring that all our members have access to the reliable broadband they need,” said Jeff Morrill, Chair of the Co-op’s Board of Directors. “The Co-op is moving quickly to expand our existing networks and take advantage of emerging funding opportunities. We appreciate Senator Shaheen and Congressman Pappas’sefforts to secure funding to support this project and the hard work and dedication of the residents in both towns.”

“We appreciate the Co-op’s recognition of the Town’s dire need for 21st-century internet service and the citizen committee’s efforts in making it happen,” said Joanne Haight Chair of the Sandwich Board of Selectmen.

“Acworth is pleased to announce that NHEC will be providing high-speed broadband internet to our town,” said Gregg Thibodeau, Acworth Broadband Committee Lead. “We have been looking at options to bring broadband service to the town due to the increase in demand for broadband service and the COVID pandemic. NHEC through their due diligence in proving their ability and obtaining federal funds quickly became our number one choice to partner with. Our town’s experience with NHEC as a utility company has been great, their broadband architecture is state of the art, their broadband service costs are competitive and we received really good feedback from the work they are doing rolling out broadband in Lempster.”

NHEC’s expansion decisions are made based on the availability of grants, proximity to existing networks, and interest expressed by residents. NHEC has reached out to communities throughout its electric service territory to coordinate efforts and achieve the shared goal of providing high-speed internet access to the unserved and underserved areas of New Hampshire.