ANNAPOLIS, MD — Today, Governor Wes Moore joined the Montgomery County Office of Broadband’s training event during a free Broadband Affordable Connectivity Program training session to encourage community enrollment in the program. The virtual event, with more than 250 in-person participants, complements last month’s Affordable Connectivity Program training session at Salisbury University.

“Thank you for answering the call to help connect people to high speed connectivity,” said Gov. Moore. “Your work is critical to Maryland’s success, as the internet is one of the most important pathways to prosperity in the 21st century. You are the very best of Maryland, and I thank you for your service.”

During the session, Governor Moore highlighted the Moore-Miller administration’s success in securing federal broadband dollars and emphasized that the deployment of affordable broadband across the state is among Maryland’s top priorities. The training focused on government and non-profit frontline service providers who already serve ACP-eligible marylanders.

The Federal Communications Commission Affordable Connectivity Program, combined with state benefits, provides monthly $45 discounts for household broadband internet access and device purchase for eligible individuals. The program is critical to helping qualifying consumers not only afford broadband, but also access the benefits that broadband brings, including enhanced access to health care, distance learning, access to job training and application opportunities, and connection to governmental and community-based information and services.

The Office of Statewide Broadband is housed in the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development. Through its programs to expand infrastructure and increase digital equity, the Office of Statewide Broadband works to ensure that all Maryland households have access to broadband. Since the Office of Statewide Broadband was created in 2017, it has invested more than $270 million into broadband infrastructure and programs. Those efforts provide high-speed internet access to an estimated 52,000 previously unserved homes and businesses statewide.

To learn more about the Affordable Connectivity Program and about available broadband access discounts, visit: https://www.fcc.gov/acp.