Bringing Broadband to Frederick County: A Game-Changer for Rural Communities
By: Brad Randall, Broadband Communities
Glo Fiber has announced the beginning of construction on a fiber-optic network that will provide first-time access to 4,500 unserved locations across Frederick County, Maryland.
The work is the result of multiple grants awarded to the fiber-to-the-home provider from the Maryland Office of Statewide Broadband.
According to Glo Fiber’s recent release, design and engineering phases for the network have already been completed.
As a result, the construction phase of the network is now underway, Glo Fiber’s Sept. 10 release stated.
Frederick County Executive Jessica Fitzwater said the services are needed for work, school, and healthcare in Frederick County’s rural expanses.
“I am pleased that more of our rural residents – from Sabillasville to Sugarloaf – will soon have access to broadband,” Fitzwater said.
The provider, which now serves approximately 300,000 homes and businesses, is powered by Shentel’s extensive regional network comprised of over 16,000 miles of fiber-optic cable routes.
Chris Kyle, Glo Fiber’s vice president of regulatory and industry affairs, said Glo Fiber is thrilled to deliver service to unserved residents of the county.
“As we all recognize, broadband is a necessity in today’s environment for access to work, education, and healthcare opportunities,” Kyle said. “We are grateful for the leadership from the Office of Statewide Broadband and from Frederick County, and we look forward to bringing these projects to completion.”
According to Glo Fiber’s release, the company provides services that include symmetrical download and upload speeds of up to 5 Gbps and “easy, straight-forward pricing with no long-term contracts.”
