Olszewski and Comcast Announce $10 Million State Grant to Expand Rural Broadband Service in Northwest Baltimore County

TOWSON, MD — Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski today joined Comcast Cable to announce a $10.7 million grant from the state to support the expansion of high-speed broadband to unserved rural areas in northwest Baltimore County. The project, which is also supported by funds from Baltimore County and Comcast, will bring high-speed internet access to more than 850 homes. Combined with last year’s grant to Comcast, broadband services will soon reach approximately 1,800 new residences in the County.

The FY22 Network Infrastructure Grant of $10.7 million, provided by Connect Maryland in partnership with Comcast and issued by the Office of Statewide Broadband utilizing federal funds from the American Rescue Plan Act, will support 50+ additional miles of infrastructure. The project is expected to be completed in 2025.

We are committed to expanding broadband access throughout Baltimore County, and this project is game-changing for our residents who will be served with this new connectivity,” said Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski. “Our partnership with the state and Comcast is critical to our efforts in providing much-needed infrastructure and in closing the digital divide in the County’s most rural areas.”

This will be the second consecutive year that Comcast will install broadband for residents in northern Baltimore County, bringing new, stable internet access to a total of more than 1,800 residents in the area. Prior to these installations, residents shared frustration with the lack of reliable internet which created difficulty with distance learning, healthcare monitoring, telecommuting, job searches and more.

“We’re proud to partner with Baltimore County to bring our advanced services, including gigabit broadband speeds, to unserved county residents,” said Michael Parker, Senior Vice President of Comcast’s Beltway Region. “This partnership will bolster the hundreds of millions of dollars Comcast has already invested in the state of Maryland by connecting more than 1,800 new residences to our smart, fast and reliable network – helping individuals and communities fully participate in the digital economy.”

“Reliable, accessible internet is a necessity for every household in the 21st century. That’s why closing the digital divide and bringing every Marylander online is one of my top priorities, and why I fought to secure broadband funds within the American Rescue Plan,” said Senator Van Hollen. “This latest investment of federal dollars will help connect even more Baltimore County residents to work, school, family and friends, and more. I will keep working until we connect every single corner of every single community in Maryland and across America to affordable, high-speed internet.”

“This is a significant milestone in our collective efforts to close the rural digital divide,” said Baltimore County Councilman Wade Kach. “I am thankful for the continued partnership with County Executive Olszewski, along with the active and organized advocacy of our North County communities in this effort.”

Baltimore County will continue to explore additional options in the coming years to continue eliminating gaps in coverage for residents in rural areas without broadband access.

For more information about the Maryland Broadband Infrastructure Grant Program, visit https://dhcd.maryland.gov/RuralBroadband.