Mediacom Communications completed construction that will bring ultra-high-speed broadband to underserved areas of southern Sussex County.
More than 1,500 homes and businesses in the south-central section of the county now have access to broadband download speeds as fast as two-gigabits-per-second.
Mediacom was awarded one of three grants through the inaugural round of the Delaware Broadband Infrastructure program for the Sussex County project. Construction of the 155-mile fiber buildout began in July 2022 and was completed ahead of schedule. A total investment of more than $11 million was put into this public-private effort to extend broadband access to more sparcely populated areas outside Mediacom’s territory.
Residents and businesses in an area that extends north to south from Georgetown to Gumboro and east to west from Dagsboro to Laurel can now access a variety of service offerings including broadband plans with 2-gigabits-per-second download speeds as well as low-cost phone plans. Mediacom also offers Connect2Compete-Plus (C2C+) for low-income households and participates in the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP).
“Our goal is to have Delaware be the first state in the country to connect every home and business to high-speed internet within the next few years. If there is any state that can connect every home and business, it ought to be Delaware,” said Gov. John Carney. “Every family deserves high-quality internet for school, work, and entertainment. I want to thank the members of our federal delegation and the Biden Administration for providing this funding. And I want to thank Mediacom, and our other internet service providers, for making these connections in communities throughout our state. It’s really making a difference for Delawareans.”
“Mediacom excels at providing broadband to rural communities and is thankful for the opportunity provided by the Delaware Broadband Initiative to reach even more homes and businesses in Sussex County,” said Marcus Simmons, area director of operations for Mediacom. “We applaud Delaware’s commitment to closing the digital divide and are thrilled to assist the state in reaching its goal of being the first to connect every residence and business to broadband.”
The Delaware broadband program aims to bring high-speed internet to all households and businesses in the state. The bulk of the hook-ups will take place around territories of existing providers that also include Verizon FiOS and Comcast Xfinity.
