The $71,175,908.30 Question

 On Dec 7, 2020, the FCC announced the results of a complex auction conducted nationally among potential providers of broadband internet services to unserved and underserved rural areas across America.  The $71M+ is Maine's share of $9.2 billion.  The funds will be provided to the following 4 internet providers over the next 10 years as they meet commitments to expand broadband service in areas designated as needing it:

                                                            Amount        Locations

Consolidated Communications       31,067,177        11,513
Pioneer Wireless                                3,543,142         1,638
Redzone Wireless                                 507,752            755
Space-X                                           34,057,837       13,849

Exactly how this is going to work is still not clear to me.  I intend to read the documentation for this important program at 

https://www.fcc.gov/document/fcc-auction-bring-broadband-over-10-million-rural-americans 

and offer further observations thereafter.  

Two preliminary observations:

1.  That Space-X was able to demonstrate the adequacy of its  emerging service to the satisfaction of the FCC is significant.  One would expect that the initial and ongoing costs about which I had substantial reservations in a previous past will be ameliorated for at least the 13,000+ underserved Mainers that are in the crosshairs for Space-X.

2.  The meaning of the maps ostensibly portraying unserved and underserved areas in Maine is not at all clear.  A cursory glance at my town, Northport, seems to be pretty inaccurate.  How these maps are to be used is a really important question, and one that requires at the least a more thorough reading of the program materials than I have had time for to this point.