Expanding Internet Access and Opportunity in Washington County
By Dan Bonelli, Regional Senior Vice President, Comcast
High-speed Internet plays an increasingly important role in how Washington County residents live, learn, work and play. Local businesses, community organizations and even modern farmers depend on it to serve the community, grow and compete.
Despite the growing role of Internet in everyday life, some Washington County residents and businesses were left waiting for access. At Comcast, we’re working to change that and recently connected more than 2,300 previously unserved homes and businesses across northwestern and southeastern Washington County to Xfinity and Comcast Business services.
County communities that previously had no broadband options. For busy households with many connected devices, Xfinity offers multi-gig speeds and low-lag connections, all with a five-year price guarantee. Xfinity also provides mobile, entertainment and home security products that together create a seamlessly connected home. Low-income households can explore Xfinity’s Internet Essentials product, which offers low-cost Internet for eligible families to support everyday online use like streaming, gaming, video calls and remote work.
For the business community, Comcast Business can help businesses large and small stay connected to fast, reliable Internet, while helping to keep them protected from cybersecurity threats – even without a dedicated IT staff.
Comcast completed this network expansion in partnership with Washington County, funded in part by the American Rescue Plan Act and with private investment from Comcast. This collaboration demonstrates what can be done when local governments and the private sector work together, with support from federal programs, to improve the communities they serve.
Expanding access to our secure network is about more than establishing a future-ready Internet infrastructure in Washington County. It’s about offering rural communities the tools and resources they need to unlock economic growth.
One of the most visible impacts our network has had on the Washington County community involves a beloved local tradition: the PONY League World Series.
Each summer, the PONY League World Series welcomes 10 teams from around the world and more than 30,000 fans to Historic Lew Hays PONY Field. For more than a decade, Comcast Business has powered the tournament’s connectivity, supporting everything from WiFi for the fans and staff to ballpark operations, live broadcasts and global streaming. As the tournament has grown, so has our technology supporting it. Our local teams involved each year are proud to help moments on the field reach friends, family and fans around the globe. Last year’s livestream drew more than 75,000 viewers, with audiences climbing every year.
And our commitment to the community extends beyond providing fast, reliable Internet. During a Washington Wild Things game this year, Comcast presented a $10,000 grant to Ballpark Scholarships, Inc., a local nonprofit that helped build the home ballpark of the Washington Wild Things decades ago and now provides scholarships to Western Pennsylvanian high school seniors who are furthering their education. The grant was made possible through Project UP, Comcast’s $1 billion commitment to help connect people to the Internet, create digital opportunity and build a future of unlimited possibilities.
Investments in Washington County’s infrastructure and community organizations reflect Comcast’s broader commitment to expanding connectivity and digital opportunity across Pennsylvania. Throughout the state, we’ve invested $2.8 billion in technology and infrastructure in the last three years, including upgrades to our network and new construction. We’ve also connected more than 2.35 million Pennsylvania residents to low-cost Internet through Internet Essentials in the last 10 years.
Whether exploring a new broadband option, getting connected for the first time or looking for ways to save on Internet and mobile services, our local teams are ready to help. Washington County residents and businesses can visit the Xfinity Store at 22 Old Mill Boulevard in Washington or visit Xfinity.com and ComcastBusiness.com to learn more about offerings available at their address.
As Washington County continues to grow, Comcast remains focused on delivering the high-speed Internet residents and businesses need today while continuing to invest in the partnerships that will drive Internet adoption and digital opportunities for years to come. Together, we’re helping build a more connected future for the region.
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