Worcester County, Maryland, works with three providers to expand rural broadband

Worcester County (MD) will work with three internet service providers as it uses grant funds to expand rural broadband. The county will use $7.1 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to work with three internet service providers––Bay Country Communications, Choptank Fiber and Talkie Communications––currently bringing high-speed internet to unserved parts of the county. The county's approved proposal takes each company where it has an existing footprint and has them expand into nearby unserved areas. When asked about the timeline for the projects, Chief Administrative Officer Weston Young said it would likely be 18 months but that the county had until 2026 to spend ARPA funds. And while the proposal doesn’t extend service everywhere in the county, Young said it would likely spur further expansion by the providers.