Comcast and Indiana Partner on $55 Million High-Speed Internet Expansion

WASHINGTON, Nov. 13, 2024 – Comcast has announced a joint $55 million investment with the state of Indiana to expand high-speed internet to more than 10,000 rural homes and businesses. 

This initiative, in partnership with the Indiana Broadband Office and the Indiana Office of Community & Rural Affairs, will connect underserved and unserved communities through the final round of the state's Next Level Connections broadband grant program.

A Comcast spokeswoman said the country’s top broadband ISP in terms of total subscribers was contributing $45 million, with the state picking up the other $10 million.

In a statement, Indiana Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch (R) emphasized the importance of the collaboration: "Our goal is to ensure that every Indiana resident has access to high-speed, reliable, affordable broadband access. Connecting every corner of Indiana will require policymakers, community leaders, and service providers to work together to close the digital divide — with this joint investment, Comcast has committed to helping us make that happen."

Funded with $350 million from the American Rescue Plan Act, the Next Level Connections grant program prioritized projects that deliver high-speed, symmetrical internet — delivering 100 Megabit per second (Mbps) download and 100 Mbps upload speeds or higher, as required under ARPA funding guidelines.

Through the initiative, many Hoosier State households will gain access to Comcast's Internet Essentials program, a low-cost Internet service typically available for around $9.95 per month for eligible families who qualify for a variety of public assistance programs. The program has helped more than 750,000 Indiana residents get online since its launch in 2011.

Pre-construction work has kicked off in Miami, Fayette, Rush and Morgan counties, where teams are assessing infrastructure requirements and planning routes for Comcast’s high-speed network, expected to contain a mix of fiber and coaxial cables. Preparations continue in Boone, Shelby and Delaware counties.

According to the release, Comcast has invested more than $500 million in its network in Indiana over the last three years. The company currently operates more than 49,000 miles of fiber infrastructure across Indiana, as well as more than 65,000 WiFi hotspots across the state.