A $53 million broadband initiative in Maine, backed by a $30 million federal grant, is moving into its next phase. The Maine Connectivity Authority (MCA) is seeking private-sector partners to help operate and expand a new statewide fiber network aimed at improving internet access across rural and underserved communities.
The National Telecommunications and Information Administration awarded the funding to support construction of the Maine Online Optical Statewide Enabling Network, or MOOSE Net. The project is a border-to-border middle-mile system designed to carry high-capacity data over long distances.
A middle-mile network carries large volumes of data between major internet backbones and local providers, forming a critical link that enables high-speed service in communities. The network is expected to be completed next year and will serve internet providers, mobile carriers and institutions like universities and hospitals across the state. State officials say the network is expected to improve access, lower costs and increase reliability, particularly in rural areas that have historically lacked broadband infrastructure.
To prepare for the new system, MCA has issued a Request for Information seeking input from potential partners on how the network should be operated and maintained once construction is complete. The agency is evaluating both a long-term operator agreement and a potential joint venture structure that would share ownership and financial responsibility with a private partner.
Construction is already underway. A firm was selected last year to build roughly 450 miles of the 530-mile network, with crews active across the state as the project moves toward completion in 2027.
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