Limited internet options in Haverhill are soon to be a thing of the past.
Breezeline has been making strides in bringing fiber optic internet, cable, and phone services to Haverhill, offering an alternative to the longstanding dominance of Comcast. According to Head of Corporate Communications Andrew Walton, significant progress has been made, with engineering and design work now complete. However, the timeline for customer sign-ups depends on the permitting process, which could take between six months to a year. This process involves obtaining permits from various parties for underground work, road crossings, and other necessary activities.
Once the necessary approvals are in place, subscribers can look forward to fiber optic cables directly connecting to their homes, providing lightning-fast upload and download speeds of up to one gigabyte per second.
Former Mayor James J. Fiorentini gave the project his approval in September 2022, after years of development. Unlike Comcast, Breezeline, formerly known as Atlantic Broadband, has pledged to provide educational and government channels in high-definition and contribute more funding to HC Media. Walton confirmed that the additional funding comes from fees based on subscriptions in Haverhill.
Fiorentini expressed his satisfaction with the project, stating, “Since the earliest days of taking office, we have been actively searching for a second cable company in Haverhill to provide competition and options for our residents and businesses.”
At a public meeting in August 2022, Breezeline’s Director of Government Affairs, Francis Bradley, highlighted the company’s offerings, including over 300 channels and low-income cable options. The project is expected to cost Breezeline between $28 to $30 million and was initially estimated to take 18 months to complete.
Breezeline’s entry into the market will provide the first significant cable alternative to Comcast in Haverhill. With Salisbury also approving a similar project around the same time, customers there have already begun signing up. Haverhill residents and businesses can expect to be notified when Breezeline’s services become available in their area.
