Skip to main content


Appalachian Regional Commission

          
CLOSE
        Appalachian Region
              Data Overview of the Appalachian Region
                      Appalachian States
                      Appalachian Counties Served by ARC
                      County Economic Status and Distressed Areas in Appalachia
                      Tribal Communities in the Appalachian Region
                      Congressional Districts in Appalachia
                      Local Development Districts in Appalachia
      Investment Priorities
              Building Businesses
                      Workforce Ecosystems
                              Addressing Substance Use Disorder
                      Community Infrastructure
                              Transportation in Appalachia
                      Regional Culture and Tourism
                      Community Leaders and Capacity
                              READY Appalachia
                      Investments in Action
      Grants and Opportunities
              About ARC Grants
                              Match Requirements for ARC Grants
                      Funding Opportunities
                              Area Development ProgramOpen
                                      ARISE InitiativeOpen
                                      INSPIRE Initiative
                                      POWER InitiativeOpen
                                      WORC InitiativeOpen
                      Capacity Building Opportunities
                              Academies and Institutes
                                      READY Appalachia
                      Additional Opportunities
                              Access to Capital Program
                                      Appalachian Regional Energy Hub Initiative
                                      J-1 Visa Waiver Program
                                      Local Access Road Program
                      Contract Opportunities
                      Applicant Resources
                      Grantee Resources
                      Approved ARC Projects
      Research and Data
              Research Reports
                      Evaluations
                      Maps
                      Data Report Tool
                      Fact Sheets and Infographics
      Academies and Institutes
              Appalachian Collegiate Research Initiative
                      Appalachian Entrepreneurship Academy
                      Appalachian Leadership Institute
                      Appalachian STEM Academy
      About ARC
              History and Work
                      Structure and Leadership
                              ARC Offices & Staff
                                      State Partners
                                      Local Development Districts
                                      Office of Inspector General
                      Budget, Performance, and Policy
                      Newsroom
                      Careers at ARC
                      Internships at ARC
      SearchSearch
    Search

              Events
      Newsroom
      Get ARC Updates
      Inspector GeneralFacebook
      Twitter
      Youtube
      LinkedIn You are here
    HomeInvestments in ActionGarrett County, Maryland: Connecting the Unconnected

      	
	
Garrett County, Maryland: Connecting the Unconnected
	
			Coal-Impacted Communities
          Community InfrastructureGarrett
          MarylandInvestments in Action
	
				
	
	
	In Garrett County, Maryland, a $435,000 ARC POWER grant is helping the **Broadband Customer Connect Program** install 7,500 feet of broadband conduit, extending the deployment of fiber broadband services to 300 homes. According to their most recent Broadband Strategic Plan, Garrett County has roughly 6,000 unserved households.

ARC’s 2022 Chartbook, an annual data report on Appalachia, shows that 85.2% of households nationwide have a broadband internet subscription, but 19.3% of households in Appalachia are lacking one. The growing rural-urban “digital-divide” is not only between the region and nation, but also between the region’s rural and urban counties. As the need for broadband continues to increase for education, telehealth, and job opportunities, communities need more support than ever to get connected.



By installing broadband conduit, the new program will help rural residents who struggle to pay the thousands of dollars required to extend broadband service down long driveways to their homes. A stronger broadband connection will also allow residents to better connect with their communities, start and grow businesses, access remote jobs and online learning, and more.

When attracting new families to our county, we’re finding that broadband availability is very high on their list of requirements. Helping our Internet service providers expand their service areas will allow our current residents and businesses to thrive, while attracting new talent to the region.**Paul Edwards, Chair, Garrett County Commissioners**

This POWER grant builds on more than 10 years of broadband expansion efforts in Garrett County, including previous ARC funding that helped purchase equipment for the Garrett County Broadband Expansion Assistance Program. The 2022 award will help offset the costs of labor to run those machines.

The county commissioners will work with qualifying internet service providers to identify the homes in need and ensure appropriate cost reductions are applied when connecting the new services. By directly supporting the expansion of broadband availability in unserved areas, Garrett County is building the infrastructure needed to keep their community moving forward.

Attendees at ARC’s 2022 Conference, One Appalachia: Connection & Collaboration, will hear more about the project when Garrett County joins the Breakout Session on Partnerships for Affordable Broadband Connectivity.





	



Related Content    
    
    Page      
      Partnerships for Opportunity and Workforce and Economic Revitalization Initiative
																				
																	

  Investment in Action      
      Frostburg State University: Advancing Technology in Western Maryland
																				
																	

  Investment in Action      
      Wallace State Community College: POWERing Electric Vehicle Learning Appalachian Regional Commission

          About ARC Grants
      Grants and Opportunities
      Newsroom
      Contract Opportunities
      Contact ARC
      Careers

  Get ARC News and Updates
    
    
                
  Sign Up Here
    Web and Privacy Policy