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Peter Larkin,board chairman of the Massachusetts Broadband Institute, speaks to the Rural Policy Commission on March 10, 2017. (Shira Schoenberg / The Republican)

BOSTON -- The state agency charged with expanding broadband internet in Massachusetts has approved a proposal that could serve six more towns. It is also moving forward with a new grant program that could result in even more towns getting internet service.

Peter Larkin, board chairman of the Massachusetts Broadband Institute, said there is no perfect solution, but the institute is committed to helping each town find the best possible project. "We're going to stumble, and we're going to be successful," Larkin said. "This administration is committed to this cause."

Last year, Gov. Charlie Baker's administration revamped the state's "Last Mile" broadband program and brought Larkin on to oversee it. The goal of the program is to bring high-speed internet connectivity to 40 rural towns in Western Massachusetts that do not have it.

Because it is not profitable for private companies to build internet networks in rural areas, the state has been soliciting proposals and subsidizing some of the construction and overhead costs, with plans to use up to $40 million in state money.

Earlier versions of the program required towns to pick up around two-thirds of the cost, but that proved unworkable for many towns. Under the latest version of the program, the costs to towns will vary depending on the proposals that come in. Some towns may have a private provider like Comcast willing to pick up the entire cost of building the network; other towns may borrow the money and pay for the network themselves.

"There won't be equal treatment," Larkin said. "We'll try to be equitable, but we're going to get it done."

"We have to take the deal that works," Larkin added. "If you're waiting for perfect, we wouldn't get any deal."

In January, the state received proposals from six internet companies vying for $20 million in state grants. The companies must commit to providing internet service to 96 percent of a town's residents and offering a particular minimum broadband speed. The projects must be financially sustainable in the long term.

On March 6, the MBI announced that Charter Communications met the qualifications to get state money to build an internet network in six towns: Egremont, Monterey, New Salem, Hancock, Princeton and Shutesbury.

However, that does not mean it is a done deal. Each town must vote to accept the proposal, and there is some uncertainty around whether the project will go forward if only some of the towns accept.

Charter officials have said they would complete the entire network within two and a half years, and customers could be hooked up earlier than that as sections of the network are completed.

After some negotiations, the Massachusetts Broadband Institute on Friday was also waiting to hear back from Comcast with its final proposal to serve four towns: Goshen, Montgomery, Shutesbury and Princetown.

Both Comcast and Charter would pick up the entire startup cost that is not covered by the state subsidy, and would in fact require less state money than what MBI had been willing to spend on those towns. The towns would not have to pay any of the cost. The communications companies would earn back the money by selling internet service to residents.

If a town has multiple proposals, it will be up to town residents and officials which one to accept.

At the same time, the MBI is also moving forward with a new grant program that would let municipalities design and build their own networks. The towns would have to borrow money to pay for the up-front costs, but they would then own the network. Network providers -- for example, Westfield Gas + Electric -- would operate as project managers. Some towns have expressed interest in pursuing this type of model, but until now it was not possible to get a state subsidy.

"It really empowers the town to take hold of a project and go forward on their own," Larkin said.

Larkin provided an update on broadband service to the state's Rural Policy Commission during a Statehouse briefing on Friday.

Larkin stressed the state's commitment to extending internet service to towns, even though it is getting more difficult, since the towns still without service are the most rural ones. "We're making progress, albeit slow, sometimes by fits and starts," Larkin said.

Larkin said MBI has enough money to pursue the projects that have been proposed, but because there are not proposals approved for all 40 towns, he cannot say whether the $40 million will be sufficient to finish the project.

"For the next two years, we think we'll be fine to move forward the way we've been doing," Larkin said.