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Eastern Maryland
Across the Bay and Beyond: Connecting Business to Opportunity
- Final Report (PDF file)
** -- DO NOT TRY TO OPEN THIS HERE. RIGHT-CLICK ON THE LINK ABOVE AND THEN "SAVE TARGET AS"TO YOUR COMPUTER AND SAVE IT SOMEWHERE THAT YOU CAN FIND IT EASILY
** - you will need a version of Adobe Acrobat 6.0 or higher.
- Press Release (PDF file)
- Other Resources to Learn About Broadband Deployment
The Maryland Technology Development Corporation - TEDCO, the Tri-County Council for the Lower Eastern Shore of Maryland, the Mid-Shore Regional Council and the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development - DBED, are currently managing a project aimed at expanding the Eastern Shore's communications infrastructure capacity and competitiveness.
This project seeks to resolve the lack of quality access on the Shore by determining best practices for utilizing the region's existing assets, analyzing and defining critical gaps in current infrastructure, as well as providing specific workable solutions for ALL counties from Cecil south to Somerset.The ultimate goal of this project is to improve economic opportunities for Eastern Maryland's businesses and citizens. TEDCO's eReadiness Maryland study has determined that the Shore's private sector lags behind other areas of the state in broadband usage, and we are committed to finding practical, economical solutions to move the region forward.
As a result of this project, TEDCO and its partners will develop a feasible strategy that articulates current communications demand and potential future demand as well as current infrastructure. The final report will outline capital investments necessary to make the region more attractive to new business development, and will explicitly address how end-users in all areas of the region will be served, including large and small businesses, education, government and non-profit users. Additionally, the report will detail how the "last mile" objective will be achieved at a price that is affordable and comparable to other regions in Maryland.
The Survey
In order to accurately depict the demand for Internet access, the project team is currently performing a survey of 3,200 firms (all firms in the 9 counties with 10 or more employees). This will identify the current and perceived needs for broadband, including relationships with suppliers and customers. Completing this survey is essential to this project, as it provides our team with the information necessary to develop business cases with prospective providers and obtain funding to implement broadband solutions.
The Governor of Maryland, along with many local and state officials, fully support this project and are excited about the solutions that will result from this effort. The Governor wrote a letter that is included with each survey. An electronic copy of this letter and the survey is available by clicking here. (PDF file)
If you have any questions regarding this survey, please review the Frequently Asked Questions section of our website.
The Project Team
The Regional Councils prepared and released a Request for Proposals (RFP) in January 2003 seeking consultants experienced in the development of solutions that address the unique requirements of rural broadband. In March 2003, TLA Associates, a Virginia-based telecommunications and network design firm, was awarded this project. TLA and its technical leader, Mr. Charles Manto, have expertise in design of communications solutions, in the development of business cases for technology investment, in local government economic development, and in deployment and operations of communications platforms. The team, with support from the University of Baltimore’s Jacob France Institute; Battelle Memorial Institute; BTP Group; and the law firm of Kelley Drye, all have extensive experience developing solutions and working on rural communications issues.
The Tri-County Council for the Lower Shore and the Mid-Shore Regional Council are committed to the development and implementation of a regional strategy for economic development. One of the focal points of the strategy is the development of a feasible communications infrastructure benefits ALL counties of Maryland's Eastern Shore . The Councils would like to thank TEDCO, DBED, USDA and the regional participants that have assisted in helping move this project forward.
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