Governor Carney Announces Next Steps to Expand Access to High-Speed Broadband

Governor John Carney (D) and the Delaware Department of Technology and Information (DTI) Delaware Broadband Office (DBO) proposed $17.4 million in competitive grant funding awards to two internet service providers to extend broadband service to more than 5,600 unserved and underserved homes and businesses throughout Delaware. Through an open and competitive process following two years of federal planning and approvals, DBO received a total of 21 proposals from five internet service providers to provide service to eight grant areas across the state. Comcast and Verizon have been selected to deploy high-speed internet infrastructure to these areas, which represent the final homes in Delaware without access to the internet or without another government program funding deployment of service. These awards will provide the final 5,635 addresses without access with high-speed internet access across New Castle (556), Kent (1,712) and Sussex (3,367) Counties. With this investment, Delaware is on course to reach Governor Carney’s goal to become the first state in the country to be fully connected to high-speed internet under BEAD. Following NTIA final approval, DTI will start to allocate the remaining BEAD funding to eligible uses. Such uses may include building internet and cellular network resiliency, increasing cybersecurity protections, expanding digital governance, and engaging in tech workforce development.