IT Dept Gives Broadband Update
Originally Published: December 21, 2023
Significant Investment Spurs Competition
For the past several years, and with millions of dollars of investment, the County Commissioners and the IT Dept have pushed to expand broadband service. IT Director Bob Kelly provided an update to the Commissioners at a recent meeting, saying 98% will have access once final installations occur. Unconnected addresses were grouped into two categories, Middle and Last Mile. The Middle Mile, Kelly said, focused on waterfront and rural communities while the Last Mile focused on connecting individual addresses.
Some residents face additional barriers to connectivity, like not having a device or being unable to afford the monthly internet bill. To supply devices to those in need the IT Dept, in cooperation with other agencies, distributed nearly 4300 of a total 4500 Chromebooks purchased with funds from the Maryland Connected Devices Grant. Additionally, IT has worked to link people with the Affordable Connectivity Program through the FCC which provides service and device discounts for those who qualify. The County has about 43K unique addresses, and there have been nearly 4300 Chromebooks distributed. Kelly says that points to at least 10% of the population not having been connected due to lack of a device. Commissioner Colvin said the National Association of Counties has data showing up to 40% of low income households are not connected in the county.
Commissioner Hewitt questioned the cost of connecting households. Kelly said its about $10 per foot, so a home with a 4500ft driveway costs $45K to connect. Much of the funding used, whether through grants or COVID-related relief funds (American Rescue Plan), requires wired service to be eligible. Collectively, 95% of money for connectivity has gone to Breezeline according to Kelly. He believes this has fostered competition in the area because other internet providers now see the potential for more customers. Verzion has applied for a state grant and is planning to install Fios in areas from Wildewood to Point Lookout by 2026. Comcast has also begun expansion, with a two-year construction plan. The competition, Kelly speculated, would encourage Breezeline to provide better pricing and service to retain customers.
There was also talk of a zoning text amendment to require broadband connection at any homes built after a specific date. Commissioner Colvin asked Director Kelly his thoughts on an appropriate date for such an amendment. A list of unconnected addresses must be provided to the state, Kelly said, as mandated by the Federal Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program. After the list is completed would be an ideal time to enact such a zoning amendment. This is an idea I support, and I discussed the thought last year with folks while campaigning. Internet access should be a utility like any other–electric, water/sewer–because it is a necessity to participate in so many facets of daily life.
Last year I asked whether the County retained ownership of the cable lines installed by Breezeline but paid for with public money. Breezeline was paid to install the lines, so they ultimately own them. In my opinion, with the approximately $4M Breezeline received in public funding to expand their privately owned network, Breezeline secured enough customers to extend it’s perceived monopoly in the area. Could the County have kept ownership of the cable lines, or held a controlling influence over their use as part of the deal? I don’t know. But it may have placed the County in a better position to influence pricing and service.
The below maps represent (A) distribution of Chromebooks, (B) current or planned service areas by company, (C) Middle Mile connections, and (D) total addresses connected. These were provided during the IT update.
Comparing the maps to one another tells a story. Map A, showing distribution of Chromebooks, and Map B, showing the expansion of service by company, correlate. The availability of more devices in the most populated area of the county correlates directly to service expansion. Map C, the Middle Mile connected (via Breezeline) roads, and Map D, overall addresses connected also show a strong correlation.
