Proposals for Maryland’s Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) plan were approved by the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration Wednesday, Gov. Wes Moore announced.
Therefore, Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development’s Connect Maryland initiative received $267.7 million in federal funding to provide residents with affordable and equitable access to high-speed internet.
The federal money is part of the Biden Administration’s Internet for All.
“The Biden-Harris Administration has been an extraordinary partner in our work to close the digital divide across Maryland—from Western Maryland to the Eastern Shore and everywhere in between,” Moore said. “In order to leave no one behind, we need to get everyone online.”
Funding may be used to deploy or upgrade high-speed Internet networks to ensure access to reliable, affordable, high-speed internet service. When infrastructure goals are met, any remaining BEAD funding can support high-speed internet adoption, internet literacy training, and workforce development efforts.
“Today, Maryland can move their Internet for All efforts from planning to action,” said Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information and National Telecommunications and Information Administration Administrator Alan Davidson.
The goal is to bridge the digital divide and address accessibility gaps in underserved areas. The plan encourages economic development, innovation and resilience by enhancing connectivity for small and medium businesses, according to a news release.
Ending the digital divide enhances education and workforce development, supports public health and safety and empowers communities, according to the news release.
“Connect Maryland’s goal of providing affordable, equitable broadband access for all requires cooperation from the federal, state, and local levels of government, as well as support from local Internet service providers, community institutions, and residents,” said Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development Secretary Jake Day.
The Office of Statewide Broadband works to ensure that all Maryland households have access to broadband. Since the office was created in 2017, it has invested more than $270 million into broadband infrastructure and programs. Those efforts have provided high-speed internet access to an estimated 52,000 previously unserved homes and businesses statewide.
