The Isle au Haut, one of the state of Maine’s smallest islands, has received its first subsea cable.

The 10km cable now connects the island to Stonington on Deer Isle, which has terrestrial connections to the mainland in Maine.

Axiom Technologies headed up the project and commissioned Pioneer Consulting to advise the project, and Subcom to supply the cable infrastructure.

The Maine Connectivity Authority has supported broadband expansion across the underserved and rural areas of Maine and contributed $28 million towards the cable project.

This is on top of $1.2 million contributed by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA).

“Like municipal power and introduction of telecommunications before it, access to high-speed internet is a transformational project for Isle au Haut,” said Mark Ouellette, president and CEO of Axiom.

“Broadband is a critical link for sustainable communities. It can support local businesses, attract year-round residents, encourage remote workers to settle on the Island, and enhance the cultural and economic life of the whole community. Axiom is proud to be at the center of this critical project.”

Gavin Tully, managing partner at Pioneer Consulting, added: “Subsea cables are ideal for communities like Isle au Haut who wish to build a future-proof system and also avoid large microwave towers that disrupt natural vistas near Acadia National Park.”

SubCom noted that its SL17 Special Application fiber optic cable was used for the system, due to the variable and often rocky nature of the Maine seabed.

Axiom has been working to deliver broadband services across Maine over the past decade, with more than 100 access points connected to date.

The Isle au Haut has a total area of 293 sq km and, according to the 2020 consensus, has a population of 92. Lobster fishing makes up the bulk of the island’s industry.