The JobsFirst Accelerator added the Verizon Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) project. The program will connect more than 2,000 homes in Delaware with high-speed broadband.
The Governor’s Office, the Delaware Broadband Office, and the Department of Technology and Information, in collaboration with the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and Verizon, will use the state’s JobsFirst permitting acceleration efforts.
BEAD and similar projects expand existing broadband systems to lower-density areas. Delaware has some of the highest average broadband speeds among the 50 states, but some rural area businesses and homes still have low-speed internet.
“Delaware is growing, and our technological infrastructure should support the expanding needs of our communities,” said Gov. Matt Meyer. “Broadband expansion will directly improve education and business opportunities to support Delaware’s economic competitiveness in the region and country. Our Permitting Accelerator is built to support our continued growth, and this partnership will benefit the entire state.”
“Our goal with BEAD has always been to get every Delawarean connected to reliable high-speed internet, and adding this project to JobsFirst gets us there faster,” said Delaware Chief Information Officer Bob Osmond. “The Verizon project will reach more than 2,000 homes and businesses that have been waiting too long for service. With state agencies reviewing permits on a shared timeline, construction can start sooner, and people can get connected faster. This project leverages nearly $4 in private capital for every $1 in federal funding invested. This $43.3 million commitment is a strong return for taxpayers and proof of what the state and its partners can do when we work toward the same goal.”
“NTIA is working with states around the country to speed up permitting and connect families and businesses to high-speed internet as quickly as possible,” said Arielle Roth, Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information and NTIA Administrator. “We’re happy to see BEAD projects included in Delaware’s Permitting Accelerator, which will help to streamline processes and remove administrative roadblocks that would slow down broadband buildouts.”
With this project now a part of JobsFirst, Delaware is moving closer to its goal of connecting every home and business to reliable high-speed internet.
The Delaware Broadband Office, part of the Department of Technology and Information, leads the state’s efforts to expand high-speed internet access to every Delaware home and business. For more information about the Delaware Broadband Office and the BEAD program, visit broadband.delaware.gov.
