(August 03, 2018 – BALTIMORE, Md.) Comcast announced plans on Thursday to expand its fiber-based network for businesses, in a move representatives said is designed to make high-speed internet more accessible.
The communications giant is investing $5 million into expanding the network of fiber optic cable, which it says has capacity to reach speeds of up to 100 Gigabits-per-second. The expansion will enable more business buildings to connect.
"As demand for our high-performance Ethernet offerings continues to soar, we're proud to bring our advanced network deeper into Baltimore to help the economic growth of the city and region," Mary McLaughlin, regional senior vice president for Comcast, said in a statement.
The company said the service is already offered to some of the city's largest businesses, and the extension will open up service to more than 2,000 additional businesses. It said the move will open connectivity "from Harbor Place to Green Mount Cemetery," and specifically names the University of Maryland Medical Center and Seton Hill, Seagirt Marine Terminal and Canton and "hundreds of businesses" northwest of downtown.
The extension comes in the form of aerial and underground infrastructure. According to a Comcast spokesperson, the build-out began in May 2018, and is expected to wrap up by the end of the year.