Telecom Proposes Faster, Cheaper Internet For Moorestown

MOORESTOWN, NJ — The township doesn’t have any kind of contract with Comcast to keep other cable and Internet service providers out of Moorestown, officials said during Monday night’s meeting.

But a new program being considered could pave the way for cheaper Internet service for Moorestown residents.

The proposal would speed up Internet service and help bridge the digital divide, Telecom Company CEO Vince DePalo said during a presentation at Monday night’s council meeting.

Telecom Company would set up their equipment from two existing water towers that could provide Internet access to 80 percent of the town, DePalo said.

They could work out arrangements with the owners of some existing cell phone towers in the township to provide service to the other 20 percent of Moorestown residents, according to DePalo.

This would allow Telecom to offer faster service at a cheaper rate than what Moorestown customers are currently paying, DePalo said.

“There are some people who can’t afford even the lowest tier service from our competitor,” DePalo said.

For those customers, Telecom would subsidize the cost to ensure all residents have Internet access in Moorestown. On his LinkedIn page, DePalo says he is “passionate about solving the digital divide.”

Moorestown residents who decide to try the service would have a satellite that looks like an antenna put on their home.

The equipment would be heavily subsidized, and customers may even get it for free as part of a promotion. The equipment is not easily disrupted by inclement weather, DePalo said. If the resident decides they don’t want it, the company will take the equipment back at no cost.

The Telecom Company was initially founded in 2000, and was formerly known as M2nGage Telecommunications and Wave2Wave Communications. It leases existing wire fiber from the company that initially installed it.

The company that owns the wire takes care of any problems that come up, and disruptions to service are minimal, DePalo said.

As managing director, DePalo helped Telecom expand its wireless network across New York City. Telecom also provides services to residents and businesses in Cherry Hill.

DePalo became CEO in 2017, and began an “aggressive expansion” of the company’s wireline and VoIP business into other major metropolitan markets throughout the country.

DePalo is friends with Mike Barson, a member of Moorestown’s Telecommunications and Technology Committee, and co-owner of VoIP Doctors. The two spoke, and DePalo said Moorestown sounded like an “interesting opportunity.”

DePalo gave a detailed presentation to the Telecommunications and Technology Committee, and committee member Kristine Picocola said she walked away thinking, “where has this been all my life? We’ve only had one brand all my life, and I’m excited to move forward with another option.”

Township Council said it should consider a trial run before making it available to the wider community. It will consult with the tech committee, and get something in writing from Telecom to share with the committee and the public, officials said.