DELAWARE - Governor Matt Meyer announced the addition of the Verizon Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment project to the JobsFirst Accelerator program.
The addition will connect more than 2,000 homes across Delaware with high-speed broadband infrastructure.
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 be using the JobsFirst permitting acceleration efforts to expedite BEAD investments in connectivity across Delaware.
"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 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."
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.
"Delaware is growing and our technological infrastructure should support the expanding needs of our communities," said Governor 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."
