Maryland Governor Wes Moore announced February 4, 2026, that the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration approved the state’s Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) plan. The approval unlocks $79.1 million in federal funding to advance the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development’s Connect Maryland initiative, aimed at delivering affordable, equitable high-speed internet access to all residents statewide.
The funding targets the final 0.5 percent of Maryland locations still lacking reliable high-speed internet connections or awarded funding, covering approximately 9,000 unserved and underserved sites across 18 counties. With this step, all remaining locations now hold fully awarded funding status, marking a shift from planning to active implementation.
Governor Moore highlighted prior progress: “Since 2023, we have connected more than 43,000 homes, representing more than 110,000 Marylanders, to high-speed internet—from Western Maryland to the Eastern Shore and everywhere in between. This latest federal funding will help connect the last remaining unserved locations to high-speed internet to ensure every Marylander has access to pathways for work, wages and wealth.”
To date, 99.5 percent of Maryland achieves connection or funding for high-speed, reliable internet. The Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development maintains the Maryland Broadband Completion map, an interactive tool tracking build-out progress by county. All counties now show 100 percent fully funded status, with counties turning green on the map upon reaching full high-speed connection.
The approved BEAD plan details deployment strategies through the Office of Statewide Broadband, focusing on:
- Bridging digital divides in rural and underserved areas with targeted accessibility measures.
- Boosting economic development, innovation, and resilience, especially for small and medium-sized businesses via improved connectivity.
- Strengthening education and workforce development to support remote learning and online job training.
- Advancing public health and safety through better emergency response communications and expanded telehealth access.
- Involving residents and stakeholders in planning and execution to foster trust and address regional challenges.
Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development Secretary Jake Day stated: “The approval from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration marks the final phase of Maryland’s broadband deployment. We are shifting to the implementation phase, and looking forward to 100% build out across the state to connect every Marylander by 2030.”
The Office of Statewide Broadband, established in 2017, has invested over $270 million in infrastructure and programs, connecting more than 180,000 previously unserved homes and businesses. The BEAD program, part of federal efforts to close the digital divide, builds on these gains to achieve universal coverage.
This announcement aligns with Maryland’s broader push for digital equity, following earlier approvals of initial BEAD proposals and challenge process results. The state received a total BEAD allocation of $267,738,400.71, with this $79.1 million tranche enabling final deployments in challenging, low-density areas often in rugged terrain.