Q&A November 2025

On October 28 and 31, 2025, we posted on our Facebook page updates about the groundbreaking in Caroline and construction in Dryden. A few questions came up; some questions were combined and answered online. All of the answers are posted here. Thank you all for your comments on the timing of construction, Caroline’s expansion, and the construction schedule. 

1. What about the areas that are already very behind? 
   1. In February 2025, Dryden Fiber changed engineering firms and started a full redesign, re-permitting, and audit of the network. This reset the clock — every pole and segment had to be rechecked, re-approved, and ultimately rebid before construction could continue.  
   2. It was a difficult decision for project leadership, including the Dryden Town Board and the Public Broadband Committee. The speed, direction, and method of construction tracked the entirety of the project to finish some time in 2032. Through the first three years of the project, less than 30% of the town had service. At this pace, 10% per year, we were on track to reach 100% in year 10, 2032. This was untenable for an infrastructure project like this.  
   3. The good news is the redesign gives us a better, more resilient system for the long term. The bad news is that it has taken time. We’re moving forward road by road, and construction will keep expanding through 2026. We hope to have an updated map soon. 
2. What about Etna Rd that was scheduled for the end of last year? 
   1. Dryden Fiber had been working with an ambitious and optimistic engineering firm in 2024. Their projections and commitments were hopeful, however, the implementation method and timelines were not realistic. Dryden Fiber parted ways with them once it became clear that targets were not going to be close to projections. It was a tough decision to change firms, but for the sake of an eight-figure and 40 year investment, we wanted to get it right. In February 2025, Dryden Fiber changed engineering firms and started a full redesign, re-permitting, and audit of the network. This reset the clock — every pole and segment had to be rechecked, re-approved, and ultimately rebid before construction could continue. 
   2. We really hoped the commitments set forth in July 2024 were real, but they were not. 
3. Finish Dryden first! 
   1. We will be finishing both towns around the same time. Our new engineering partners have twenty years and hundreds of thousands of miles of fiber construction experience. They now know our town intimately and believe they have a plan, resources, and people to get Dryden done right and quickly. We are projecting to be completed about 5 years ahead of the previous 2032 trajectory. 
   2. While both towns are using the same management and finance resources, the construction will be bid out and both projects will be conducted at the same time. We are projecting to meet the deadline requirements of New York State’s $11.6M grant and reach 100% of the town of Dryden. 
4. How's the Bone Plain Rd area coming along? 
   1. Bone Plain Road is in the current “Freeville Expansion” project which is currently underway. Residents of Bone Plain Road should see fiber construction vehicles in the next 2 to 8 weeks depending on the direction of rollout. We believe Bone Plain will be completed by March 1, 2027. 
5. So Caroline is underway while Dryden residents have been waiting for years. Why not take those resources and put them on the Dryden job and start the Caroline stuff when Dryden is done? 
   1. Regarding the expansion, New York State granted the town of Dryden about $4M to reach every unserved and underserved home in the town of Dryden. This grant was awarded due to our collaboration with the town of Caroline. We're expanding into Caroline in partnership so that the Dryden project has substantial additional state funding. The deadline for construction across both towns is 12/31/26. This is why we've taken Caroline on and why we broke ground yesterday. The funding allows us to staff up and get both towns completed. 
6. Umm….we are a good six to twelve months behind previous estimates. Dryden fiber doesn’t reach a good chunk of Dryden residents yet. Seems premature to be celebrating expansion into OTHER towns when the namesake hasn’t been covered yet. 
   1. Dryden Fiber had been working with an ambitious and optimistic engineering firm in 2024. Their projections and commitments were hopeful, however, the implementation method and timelines were not realistic. Dryden Fiber parted ways with them once it became clear that targets were not going to be close to projections. It was a tough decision to change firms, but for the sake of an eight-figure and 40 year investment, we wanted to get it right. In February 2025, Dryden Fiber changed engineering firms and started a full redesign, re-permitting, and audit of the network. This reset the clock — every pole and segment had to be rechecked, re-approved, and ultimately rebid before construction could continue. 
   2. We really hoped the commitments set forth in July 2024 were real, but they were not. 
   3. Regarding the expansion, New York State granted the town of Dryden about $4M to reach every unserved and underserved home in the town of Dryden. This grant was awarded due to our collaboration with the town of Caroline. We're expanding into Caroline in partnership so that the Dryden project has substantial additional state funding. The deadline for construction across both towns is 12/31/26. This is why we've taken Caroline on and why we broke ground yesterday. The funding allows us to staff up and get both towns completed. 
7. I was thinking the same thing. Pinckney, Sunset West Cir, Sunset West Rd, and Etna Rd have been on the 6 month wait list for at least 18 months now. 
   1. All of those roads will be in the next RFP (Request for Proposals) which will be the "Greater Dryden RFP". It will cover all of the roads not yet serviced and not included in the "Freeville Expansion" project. The RFP will be published in November, awarded in December, and work will start in January. The current estimated timing is to complete this "Greater Dryden" project in its entirety, in 2026. Individual regions and neighborhoods will come online as soon as service is available, potentially in the March to April 2026 time frame, weather permitting (and pole permits permitting too). 
8. Etna Rd? Hanshaw Rd? Pinckney Rd? The two Sunsets? Wood Rd? 
   1. All of those roads will be in the next RFP (Request for Proposals) which will be the "Greater Dryden RFP". It will cover all of the roads not yet serviced and not included in the "Freeville Expansion" project. The RFP will be published in November, awarded in December, and work will start in January. The current estimated timing is to complete this "Greater Dryden" project in its entirety, in 2026. Individual regions and neighborhoods will come online as soon as service is available, potentially in the March to April 2026 time frame, weather permitting (and pole permits permitting too). 
9. Why then did the map for Etna Rd state end year last year?? 
   1. Dryden Fiber had been working with an ambitious and optimistic engineering firm in 2024. Their projections and commitments were hopeful, however, the implementation method and timeline was not realistic. Dryden Fiber parted ways with them once it became clear that targets were not going to be close to projections. It was a tough decision to change firms, but for the sake of an eight-figure and 40 year investment, we wanted to get it right. In February 2025, Dryden Fiber changed engineering firms and started a full redesign, re-permitting, and audit of the network. This reset the clock — every pole and segment had to be rechecked, re-approved, and ultimately rebid before construction could continue. 
   2. The good news is the redesign gives us a better, more resilient system for the long term. The bad news is that it’s taken time. We’re moving forward road by road, and construction will keep expanding through 2026. We hope to have an updated map soon. 
10. Will the Greater Dryden RFP include Lake Rd, Kimberly Rd, etc? 
    1. Yes, the Greater Dryden RFP will include all other roads in town, including Lake Rd and Kimberly Rd. 
11. Half of Dryden isn’t complete but Caroline is starting. 🤷 
    1. Dryden Fiber’s focus is to reach 100% of the homes in the town of Dryden. We have to do this in parallel with the construction in Caroline, due to the current timing requirements of the state grant. One item to note: 100% of Dryden households that are limited to dial-up (unserved) or DSL (underserved) wired speeds, per the FCC, will be completed at the same time or before the Caroline project is completed. Dryden households (per FCC) with access to cable broadband internet service will be reached, but the priority in Dryden is focused on the unserverd and underserved” 
12. I appreciate the meaning of “unserved and underserved.” BUT does this mean that we happy few with other, less appealing options, will never have the Dryden Fiber option? 
    1. Dryden Fiber’s mission and goal is to reach 100% of the houses in the town of Dryden. For the unserved and underserved, Dryden Fiber will provide them with access to broadband fiberoptic wired internet for the first time for their parcel. For those already served, they will now have a choice. We believe in competition and believe everyone should have choices when it comes to broadband internet services. If you have other options today (like cable), you will soon have other options. 
13. 🤷 OK. Be nice to see Dryden complete someday. 
    1. We agree. It will be a great day for Dryden. Our new plan brings the project to a close nearly 5 years faster than the previous rate of construction (2027 vs. 2032). 
14. You didn't really answer the question. I am not trying to be mean, but theres areas that are way behind, who now have to wait for a new area to be done? It just seems like a poor business practice. 
    1. The entirety of the project was put on hold. The move to take the project off hold started with the pathways that were contiguous and closest to being completed. The Freeville Expansion project was mostly complete for permitting, electrical make ready, and even had some strand and some fiber on poles. This made the greater Freeville region north, northwest, west, north east, and east of Freeville the first choice. 
    2. The Etna region was much further from being implemented than the maps and projections showed. Telephone pole and utility pole work along Etna Road, Neimi, and Hanshaw were just awarded this past summer (August 2025). The inability to plan and project the timeline was one of the reasons Dryden Fiber changed firms in February 2025.