Worcester Municipal Broadband Could Boost Students, Economy: WRRB

WORCESTER, MA — Worcester should be a little more like neighboring Shrewsbury, at least when it comes to internet service.

That's the thrust behind a new Worcester Regional Research Bureau published this week looking at how Worcester could set up a municipal broadband network for residents, which Shrewsbury — and cities from Chattanooga, Tenn., to Cedar Falls, Iowa — has offered residents since 1999.

The argument in favor: Worcester residents only have one choice right now when it comes to buying internet service. And residents in large swaths of the city don't purchase internet at all. Worcester offering low-cost, speedy internet could help everyone from students learning online to small businesses.

The WRRB doesn't pinpoint how much setting up a municipal broadband network would cost (although it does highlight that Springfield estimated it would cost $50 million in that city). But city officials should explore the possibility, and find possible funding sources through federal and state grants, the report says.

"As the pandemic has led to widespread recognition of the importance of internet accessibility by the public, employers, and policymakers, Worcester has a critical opportunity to leverage this attention and government support to strengthen the city’s internet infrastructure," the report concludes.

Read the full WRRB municipal broadband report here.