(8/10) Access to broadband service will soon be expanded to several rural areas as Frederick County Government kicks off its multi-year rural broadband strategy.
The county has partnered with the Shenandoah Telecommunications Company to provide services to unserved rural communities.
The project Shentel will undertake targets distinct areas in north, northeast, and southern portions of Frederick County identified as being un-served in the County’s Rural Broadband Study. The un-served communities targeted to get wired broadband under the plan include Sabillasville, Rocky Ridge, Bruceville, Detour, Keymar, New Midway, Johnsville, and Union Bridge.
There are an estimated 3,000 properties in these areas without wired infrastructure to provide high-speed internet access. Instead, residents have had to rely upon costly satellite service providers whose service is subject to weather impairments or connecting to the internet via WIFI towers, which requires a line of sight to the tower unhindered by trees, not to mention the fact that both options provided connection speeds of only a fraction of wired service and are subject to weather impairments.
Because the cost of these options are often out of reach for many rural residents, the often default to using hotspots on their cell phones on internet plans with download caps, or access the internet at local libraries.
Shentel has received a $10 million grant from the Maryland Office of Statewide Broadband to install the broadband network. Funding for the grants came from the federal American Rescue Plan Act. Bringing broadband to these unserved regions was identified as a priority in the 2020 Rural Broadband Study commissioned by Frederick County Government.
"Reliable internet access is a necessity in today’s world," Frederick County Executive Jan Gardner said. "Building out a system to serve all pockets of our community will take time and money, so I welcome news of this grant to help reach many of our rural areas. I want to thank our federal partners, particularly Congressman David Trone, for making broadband a priority. Frederick County’s broadband study helped to lay the groundwork for the project announced today, and we will continue to look for opportunities to encourage private companies to invest in rural areas."
"As the last few years have shown, high-quality and affordable internet access is critical for education, telehealth, and most importantly - jobs," Congressman David Trone said.
"This funding, provided by the federal American Rescue Plan, is a win for investing in Frederick County’s way of life while maintaining access to the essential services and economic benefits that broadband provides. By working with our state and local leaders, I remain committed to delivering the tools our communities need to thrive in the 21st century," he said.
The project is able to move forward thanks to the newly established Office of Broadband and Enterprise Projects within the County’s Division of Interagency Information Technology. Staff in the broadband office are charged with identifying potential projects and grants that could increase access to reliable broadband for residents and businesses.
Frederick County’s Rural Broadband Study can be found at www.FrederickCountyMD.gov/broadband.
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