In an effort to expand broadband access in Maryland, $127.6 million in grants will be awarded to internet service providers, education and community organizations and local jurisdictions across the state, Gov. Larry Hogan revealed on Friday. “Our goal is to ensure universal broadband to every single person in every single corner in the state of Maryland,” Hogan said at a news conference in rural Harford County.
As part of the state’s Connect Maryland initiative, the money will provide broadband service to an additional 15,000 households that are unserved or underserved, Hogan said. Connect Maryland, a state-run effort that began last August, is set to invest $400 million to expand broadband access, reports The Baltimore Sun.
Since Connect Maryland was enacted, several initiatives have worked to ensure statewide broadband access, including a survey that tests broadband speed, a digital literacy program in partnership with the University of Maryland Extension and a benefit program to help eligible households pay for internet services, according to Hogan.
The funding announced Friday was awarded through four grant programs, including the Connect Maryland Network Infrastructure Grant Program, the Neighborhood Connect Broadband Grant Program, the Connected Communities Program and the Maryland Emergency Education Relief Grant. “These grants will help us connect citizens throughout the state of Maryland,” said Harford County Executive Barry Glassman, a Republican and a candidate for comptroller.
About $2.2 million of the funds have already been awarded to Harford County and a public-private partnership with ISP Think Big Networks. “Public-private partnerships such as this one are critical to the success of rural broadband. If it were easy, it would have been done many years ago. But it’s not easy,” said ThinkBig Networks COO Dee Anna Sobczak. “These projects require real partnerships on many levels. From the county, to the state, to companies like ThinkBig,” notes The Sun.
Additionally, the governor cited how the effects of the COVID pandemic accelerated Maryland’s need for broadband access. “It showed us just how critical a lifeline high-speed internet access is to our lives and our livelihoods — whether it’s for school, work, telehealth, or just staying in touch with families,” Hogan said.
Broadband access is available to more than 95 percent of all Marylanders, according to Hogan. To receive federal assistance for broadband access, households must meet one of the criteria listed on the Maryland government website.
By Leslie Stimson, Inside Towers Washington Bureau Chief
Reader Interactions