CHARLES COUNTY, Md. — Families in Charles County could soon benefit from expanded internet access, thanks to new state and federal efforts to bring broadband to underserved areas.
At their March 25 meeting, the Charles County commissioners approved letters of support for Comcast and Verizon, backing both companies’ applications for the Maryland Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) grant program. The initiative, part of the Biden-Harris administration’s “Internet for All” effort, aims to bring high-speed internet to communities currently lacking reliable service.
Matt Jacobson, network specialist III with the county’s Department of Fiscal and Administrative Services, presented the request for support to the commissioners, highlighting the critical role broadband plays in education, telehealth and economic opportunity.
The Maryland Office of Statewide Broadband is administering the state’s BEAD program after receiving approval from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration to move forward with implementation. With this approval, Maryland can now request access to more than $267 million in BEAD funds, enabling projects like those proposed by Comcast and Verizon to begin taking shape.
If awarded, the grant funding would allow both providers to extend their networks into areas of Charles County currently without access to affordable, high-speed internet — an issue that has long impacted rural families across the region.
As the grant process continues, local leaders remain hopeful that these efforts will close the digital divide and bring lasting connectivity to families across the county.
What Is BEAD?
The Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program provides federal funding to expand high-speed internet access by funding planning, infrastructure deployment and adoption programs. The BEAD plan serves as Maryland’s state plan, establishing its commitments and strategy to support broadband projects over the next five years in alignment with the Office of Statewide Broadband’s objective to close the digital divide in Maryland. The initial proposal presents the state’s method of implementing the plan.
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Comcast and Verizon don’t need grants to expand. Prevent them from silently raising their rates every few months and they will be forced to expand to new customers.