Choptank Fiber is Making Progress from Top to Bottom
By Valerie Connelly, VP Government Affairs and Public Relations
Choptank Fiber, LLC, and Cecil County Government celebrated the successful installation of over 62 miles of new high-speed internet in southern Cecil County. Extending service to over 325 previously unserved addresses, this broadband expansion project totaled over $2.9 million. A “Neighborhood Connect” grant through the Maryland Office of Statewide Broadband contributed over $2.5 million toward the project, with Cecil County Government and Choptank Fiber committing $215,696 and $196,941 respectively.
“Over the past three years, my administration has prioritized connecting all Cecil County residents and businesses to high-speed internet,” states Cecil County Executive Danielle Hornberger. “Once considered a luxury, broadband today plays a critical role in providing access to essential public services, as well as access to the job market. These efforts will ensure that everyone can participate in our modern economy.”
Areas receiving broadband service as part of the project include the Earleville communities of Battery Point Farms, Cabin John Road, Cherry Grove Road, Corrin Farm Lane, Fingerboard Schoolhouse Road, Foxes Lane, Hall Creek, Knight Island, Mount Harmon, Oriole Farm, Sandy Bottom Road, and Stemmers Run Road, and the Warwick communities of Budds Landing, Edgar Price Road, Joe Meltz Road, and Strawberry Hill.
“Southern Cecil County remains an ongoing priority for us,” adds Mike Malandro, President & CEO of Choptank Electric Cooperative. “Choptank Fiber and Cecil County will continue to work together on not only our new $1.4 million project to connect an additional 90 addresses, but to pursue other opportunities to connect everyone who lacks broadband.”
“Now, members understand the value of our Cooperative,” observes John Burke, Choptank Board member. “We have been able to use our strength as member-owned to partner with local government and build out a fiber broadband network where no one else thought possible, much the way we built out electricity nearly 100 years ago.”
Worcester County residents from the Pocomoke Forest area also celebrated new connections at a community meeting in Snow Hill recently. The meeting attracted more than 200 of the 450 residents that will be eligible for internet service by the end of the summer.
Members of the Choptank Board of Directors, President & CEO Mike Malandro, executive staff and operational managers were on hand to explain the connection process and answer questions. Residents were excited to learn they would finally be offered connection to the internet. They expressed concern that they had been left behind for too long and were grateful to Choptank and the Worcester County Commissioners for funding the $5 million construction project that will connect them.
The Worcester County buildout started for Choptank in 2021, with service to 35 locations in a demonstration project. In 2022, the County Commissioners approved the use federal ARPA funding for the Pocomoke Forest project that will extend service to 450 locations from the Somerset County line east to Route 12 and south to the Pocomoke River.
Choptank was recently awarded an additional $15.9 million from the Office of Statewide Broadband to provide service to 240-plus unserved residents on the east side of Worcester County, outside of Berlin and another 3,000 locations throughout the Shore in Cecil, Caroline, Dorchester, Queen Anne’s and Wicomico Counties.
Follow our progress at > www.ChoptankFiber.com.