The logo for Philadelphia-based telecommunications company Comcast. The company is planning to expand internet access to 717 underserved and unserved Johnson County homes and businesses.
Photo Courtesy of Comcast
Expanded internet access for over 700 rural Johnson County residents is coming soon with a multi-million dollar joint investment by Comcast and state officials.
Comcast officials announced Monday that they had signed contracts with Indiana’s Office of Community and Rural Affairs, or OCRA, to bring gigabit-capable broadband service to unserved parts of Indiana as part of a joint $50 million investment between the state and the Philadelphia-based telecommunications company. The initial finalized agreements will allow Comcast to deploy 1,200 miles of fiber internet to unserved portions of 19 Indiana counties, including Johnson County, officials said in a news release.
The partnership is possible through the state’s Next Level Connections Broadband Grant program, which is designed to provide funds for the deployment of broadband infrastructure to provide eligible broadband service to unserved users, including rural households. Only internet providers are allowed to apply for the program and must provide a minimum 20% match to any grant request, according to state officials.
Under the latest phase of Next Level grants, Comcast will invest $36 million along with $13.6 million from the state for the expansion, according to the news release.
“The investments made by Comcast and other partners will not only benefit residents and businesses but also contribute to Indiana’s rural economic engine,” Indiana Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch said in a statement. OCRA is under the Office of Lt. Governor and Crouch also serves as Indiana’s Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development.
Comcast officials say this newest expansion will build on the company’s ongoing commitment to bridge Indiana’s rural digital divide. Over the last three years, the company has expanded and enhanced its network and offerings to reach more residents and businesses across the state.
Through this process, Comcast has connected communities like Darlington, Tell City, and Thorntown with gigabit-capable speeds. They’ve also invested more than $500 million to strengthen and expand their Indiana network, officials said.
In a statement, Comcast Vice President for Government Affairs in Indiana Joni Hart said that ensuring Hoosiers have access to reliable, high-speed internet has been a top priority for the company.
“As the world we live in becomes increasingly digital, we remain focused on not only bringing our broadband network to more Indiana homes and businesses, but also meeting the ever-increasing appetite for education, business, telemedicine, entertainment and more,” Hart said.
For Johnson County, 717 total addresses — both homes and businesses — would be given gigabit-capable broadband service through the joint investment, said Michael Wilson, a Comcast spokesperson.
“It’s a total fiber build and we’ll be able to deliver high-speed internet. It’s very comprehensive,” Wilson said.
Customers would have access to the same features that customers in more urbanized areas have, including advanced security features. They will also be able to easily access telemedicine, e-learning, gaming and virtual reality services, he said.
“Everything one would expect with urban connectivity, one can get in rural areas as part of this agreement,” Wilson said.
With the contracts now signed, the next step is for Comcast to immediately start work on the “multiple pre-construction priorities” for the expansion projects. Comcast officials anticipate having the expansion completed within two years, they said.
More details about the expansion will be announced in the next month or so, Wilson said.
Comcast is not the only internet provider planning on expanding in underserved or unserved areas of the county.
For the last three years, local internet company JCFiber has been expanding into rural areas west and south of Franklin. Mainline construction for the latest zone, Zone 4, is expected to be completed by the second quarter of this year.
