From Staff Reports Cumberland Times-News
— OAKLAND — U.S. Sens. Ben Cardin and Barbara A. Mikulski announced that the Garrett County Board of Commissioners has received a $250,000 grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission to expand broadband Internet connectivity in the county.
The commissioners will use the funding to deploy 50 miles of fiber to help connect county facilities, schools, community colleges, health facilities and libraries, according to the news release.
The ARC grant will help provide the electronics necessary to light the fiber and make it operational. Approximately 2.5 miles of new fiber and electronics will also be deployed to provide connectivity for an additional 14 sites, including schools and town halls.
The ARC grant will work in conjunction with the Broadband Technology and Opportunities Program grant awarded to the state of Maryland, according to the news release.
The One Maryland Broadband Network will construct a fiber network across the state to connect 1,000 community anchor institutions. Garrett County’s 50-mile fiber is part of the statewide network.
In addition to ARC funding, Garrett County will provide $250,000, bringing total project funding to $500,000, according to the news release. This grant helps encourage and leverage investments in telecommunications related economic development, which is one of ARC’s priorities for the region. The ARC is a federal-state partnership that works with the people of Appalachia to create opportunities for self-sustaining economic development and improved quality of life.
A six-month study of broadband in the county was recently completed by CTC Technology and Energy.
Joanne Hovis, president of CTC, presented the study to the commissioners on Tuesday and recommended that the county consider investing in the last mile of the wireless broadband network to enable service to approximately 2,900 unserved residences.
The cost of the investment would be $1.2 million, with 30 percent of subscribers utilizing the service, according to Hovis.
More here.
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