Nate Greenberg, Digital 395 co-ordinator.

Nate Greenberg, Digital 395 co-ordinator.

When the Mammoth Town Council last met, Nate Greenberg, who is co-ordinator for the Digital 395 project, spoke to the Council about issues related to this major undertaking. But it was Councilman John Eastman’s question that most relates to the public.

Eastman asked Greenberg when Digital 395 would be complete and when customers could get better internet service. Greenberg said the completion date is July 30th. He said the crews at work on the project are “going for that.” He said there may be some more work that has to be done after July 30th.

When Eastman asked him when people can expect better internet, Greenberg said the hope is to complete distribution work in Mammoth Lakes by the end of June with customers realizing better service in July and August.

Greenberg called Digital 395 the largest project since the construction of the Los Angeles Aqueduct. He described it as the first, middle and last mile with servers on one end, consumers on the other and the internet in the middle. He described the Eastern Sierra Connect group which sent out surveys and received 700 responses about issues with internet service now. He said comments ranged from too expensive, not available or too slow. He said Digital 395 will change that.

Service to customers will come from Verizon, Suddenlink and possibly Schat.net. Greenberg also pointed to new opportunities ahead such as other cities have enjoyed – location of new companies that need access to fast internet service. He also suggested that local officials might want to create policies related to Digital 395 like requirements for developers to install underground conduits for internet service.

As Councilman Eastman noted, crews have been at work in Mammoth Lakes installing fiber optic cable to what are called anchor organizations like Mammoth Mountain, Sierra Center Mall, the Post Office and several other locations that will receive direct hook-up.

And Wednesday, the Mammoth Town Council had scheduled a special meeting to start at 4pm. The agenda lists only a workshop with the Planning and Economic Development Commission.

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