An Affordable Alternative - Letter

Falmouth Opinion, Falmouth Enterprise

As a local telemedicine doctor, I wrote several weeks ago supporting the development of a community-controlled fiber optic communication network because our present service often doesn’t work well for medical communications, or for that matter, keeping up with grandchildren.

Last Friday, a well-intentioned letter writer seemed to regard the fiber optic plan as unnecessarily grandiose, likening it to a superhighway. Actually, I see the plan as a well-structured good investment.

Glass fiber, once installed, lasts a long time. The electronics used for wireless communication doesn’t have that longevity. Wireless is only as good as you are close to one of their towers. Communities can add to their existing underground conduits or their poles for the fiber optic system. I think it’s likely that as use increases, big corporations will give us even less for our dollar than they get away with now. FalmouthNet will give us an affordable alternative.

Dr. Alan B. Steinbach

Mast Road
Woods Hole