Broadband service, defined as internet service having download speeds of at least 25 megabits per second (Mbps) and upload speeds of 3 Mbps, is a utility that is as important as water, sewer, or electricity.  Education, commerce, economic development, and public safety all rely on it. 

Unfortunately, Cecil County contains about 100 geographic areas (containing over 1,800 homes and businesses) that lack broadband service.  Over the past three years, Cecil County Government has successfully obtained grant funding to extend service to all but a few of these unserved areas. These grant funded projects are discussed further below on this page.   

In addition to these 100 geographic areas, some addresses in served areas lack broadband due to the long length of their driveways.  Other than word of mouth, Cecil County Government currently lacks a methodology to quantify the number of unserved "long driveways" in served areas. 

What is Cecil County Government doing to extend broadband to areas currently lacking it?  

Cecil County Government is not an internet service provider (ISP), nor does it want to be.  As such, when wanting to facilitate broadband service into an unserved area, County Government must develop a public-private partnership with an existing private sector ISP. 

The private sector has numerous internet service providers, and their goals are identical to Cecil County Government’s when it comes to broadband expansion.  Namely, all want to reach as many unserved homes and businesses as possible.

Unfortunately, extending broadband service to Cecil County’s unserved areas is not economically feasible.  All last mile providers have a business model that examines the cost of extending service.  These models take into account factors such as the number of homes wanting service, the cost to serve the homes (which varies by distance and type of installation), and the time involved to recoup costs.

Because expansion into currently unserved areas does not make economic sense, Cecil County Government and its ISP partners must rely on obtaining state and federal grant funding for expansion. 

Grant programs 

The most popular broadband grant programs are those administered by the Maryland Office of Statewide Broadband.   Other programs, such as the federal ReConnect and BEAD initiatives, also exist. 

All State and Federal broadband grant programs require a matching funds component.  Cecil County Government's matching funds come from the three year Video Lottery Terminal (VLT) spending plan and American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) sources. 

Current projects 

Erroneously perceived to to be instantaneous and cheap, broadband construction is a lengthy process that involves network design, engineering, right of way acquisition, and permitting. Over the the past three years, Cecil County Government has successfully obtained grant funding for the following ongoing projects:

• Breezeline (formerly Atlantic Broadband) and Cecil County Government have partnered to extend broadband service to 144 unserved addresses in Perryville and Port Deposit. This project has a required completion date of December 31, 2023. 

• Choptank Fiber shall be extending service to 89 unserved addresses in southern Cecil County.  This project will be finished well before its 2026 required completion date.

• Talkie Communications, Inc. and Cecil County Government have partnered to extend broadband service to 840 unserved addresses in Chesapeake City, Elkton, Fair Hill, North East, and the Elk Neck Peninsula. This project has a completion date of June 30, 2025. 

• Verizon shall be bringing its FIOS broadband to over 350 addresses in western and central Cecil County.  This project has a 2026 estimated completion date.

Past projects 

Broadband projects successfully completed include:

• Big Elk Chapel Rd, Gallaher Rd, and Telegraph Rd (4600-4900 block);
• Blueball Rd (746-1003 block); 
• Budds Landing;
• Cabin John Rd and vicinity;
• Cat Swamp Rd and Barksdale Rd (2000-2300 block);
• Cayots Corner Rd wireless;
• Cherry Grove Rd and vicinity;
• Chesapeake View Rd;
• Corrin Farm Ln;
• Elk Valley Ln;
• Foxes Ln;
• Joe Meltz Rd and Edgar Price Rd;
• Knight Island Rd, Holly Dr, and Hall Creek Dr;
• McKinneytown Rd;
• Middleneck Peninsula wireless;
• Mount Harmon Rd;
• Nottingham Rd (0-300 block);
• Old Log Cabin Rd (and p/o Turkey Point Rd);
• Oriole Farm Ln;
• Pinewood Rd and Fingerboard Schoolhouse Rd;
• Randalia Rd;
• Ricketts Mill Rd and Winding Way;
• Southern Cecil County wireless;
• Spring Hill Ln, Evergreen Ln, and Irishtown Rd (1097-1342);
• Stemmers Run Rd and vicinity;
• Strawberry Hill; and
• Warburton Rd (700-1200 block)

If you do not have broadband service...

Please feel free to e-mail County staff, and provide them with your address. 

County staff can assist you in determining if you live in a known broadband desert and/or provide an update about an ongoing project. 

Your inquiry also may help direct future grant applications and help you get service sooner.