The first major phase of Maryland’s broadband expansion project is now live, bringing high-speed broadband access to much of Southern Maryland. Charles County, St. Mary’s and Calvert County all have expanded access, bringing new services to subscribers throughout some of Maryland’s more rural areas. Governor O’Malley was on hand to mark the milestone, the Governor has made broadband access a core part of his agenda while in office.
The Southern Maryland broadband expansion will provide immediate support to anchor institutions such as public safety, education and health care providers. The network will also provide subscription access for individuals and businesses. The state hopes that by expanding access through this region of the state, new jobs and economic activity will also come online.
Law enforcement in the area will also now be able to monitor multiple channels of communication – including video without having to work around slow or no connections. Law enforcement officials demonstrated their new video capabilities at the press conference marking the milestone.
The Governor aims to make Maryland the first “digital state.” “A modern economy requires modern investments,” O’Malley said during the press conference. “Together, we’ve invested more than $43 million in State dollars to build this network to connect every part of Southern Maryland to information, resources, jobs and opportunities. If we’re going to move our State out of this recession and start creating opportunities, we must make the investments in our infrastructure that will allow us to compete and win in the new economy.”
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