True Gigabit broadband has arrived on the Eastern Shore!
Legislation passed the Maryland General Assembly in March 2020 allowing Choptank Electric Cooperative to become Member Regulated to start our broadband business. On August 13, 2020, the membership voted overwhelmingly in favor of broadband and Member Regulation. Since then, Choptank has created a separate business, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Cooperative, to operate the broadband business. We are working on the business plan, reviewing our existing fiber infrastructure (smart grid), and developing the technical specs necessary to begin broadband service for members. We are also putting together financing – considering investments, loans, and grants from local, state, and federal government sources.
When will broadband be available?
We expect to begin connecting customers in the Summer of 2021.
This is a 10-year project that we hope to accelerate with grant funding.
How much will it cost?
For specific pricing and plan details, visit our Packages webpage. We do plan to offer broadband over fiber optic connections directly to the home. We will offer packages up to 1 gigabit speeds and we will not have data caps. At this time we will not offer television programming or phone service.
How can I sign up for broadband?
Complete the registration survey above. This does not obligate anyone to sign up for internet service when it becomes available; that will be a separate application process. We will reach out to members who enter their information as broadband becomes available in their communities. We will also post updates to the broadband page as we move forward.