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19 <br /> Commissioner Fowler reviewed the terms of the contract and asked what "a commitment <br /> to pass any additional location" meant. <br /> Travis Myren said if an underserved home is identified while passing the remaining 665, it <br /> automatically is added. <br /> Commissioner Fowler said that was mentioned in all three areas with a date of no later <br /> than July 1, 2026. <br /> Commissioner Carter asked if the definition of unserved and underserved was the Lumos <br /> definition. <br /> Travis Myren said it was the state and federal definition. <br /> Vice-Chair Hamilton asked how it is determined when work is completed. <br /> Travis Myren said they would verify through the project management team. <br /> Vice-Chair Hamilton asked if there is visual inspection. <br /> Travis Myren said the contract allows for visual inspection. <br /> Commissioner Fowler asked about the cost for connection, which she said was initially set <br /> at $50 a month, but now it appears to be higher. <br /> Robert Reynolds said there were changes at the bandwidth offering levels. <br /> Andrew Stevenson said there was a stipulation in the contract that price increases be no <br /> more than 10% each year. He said that comparing prices gets complicated when people come <br /> in at introductory or promotional offers for 12 months. He said a low-cost offering is still available <br /> if requested. <br /> Commissioner Fowler asked if Lumos is laying line in Alamance County and if that was <br /> funded through ARPA. <br /> Andrew Stevenson said they received a NC Great grant, which was funded by ARPA, and <br /> it was recently completed. He said that there is work going on that is privately funded. <br /> Commissioner McKee asked if Lumos was laying line in Durham County, and if they had <br /> the same situation in Durham as they are having in Orange County. <br /> Andrew Stevenson said they were laying line in Durham County. He said they were having <br /> some of the same issues, but not at the same extent. <br /> Commissioner McKee asked if Lumos was asking Durham the same request they were <br /> making of Orange. <br /> Andrew Stevenson said no. He said they received an ARPA grant through the NC <br /> Broadband office, and they also have privately funded projects. <br /> Chair Bedford asked Robert Reynolds if he had spoken with IT folks in Durham. <br /> Robert Reynolds said yes and that they never entered into a contract with Lumos. <br /> PUBLIC COMMENTS: <br /> Tony Blake said he opposed changing the Lumos contract. He said that Lumos says he <br /> does not have broadband, but he has broadband provided by Spectrum. He said he supported <br /> his neighbors who were being left behind by the proposal. He said they are not doughnut holes, <br /> but taxpaying residents. He said that after acquisition by T-Mobile, Lumos continued to fulfill other <br /> contracts and expand their network elsewhere. He said T-Mobile has plenty of assets and they <br /> would not lose money on this contract, it would just take them longer to recoup their investment. <br /> Orange County is a tier 3 county and has little hope of receiving BEAD funding. He said BEAD <br /> and stop gap funding are both funded by ARPA. He said both require matching funds and asked <br /> where those would come from. <br /> Jack Vest said he has struggled with slow internet at his home and that AT&T will not make <br /> improvements or repairs to his current lines. He said that he lives among lots of trees and would <br /> not want to cut them down in order to get satellite internet. He said cell phone signals are also <br /> unreliable. He said for 3 years he received regular updates on the broadband project, until T- <br /> Mobile bought Lumos. He expressed concern about the cost per connection the county will pay <br /> under the revised contract. <br />