The Montgomery Connects CIP provides for capital funding to support Montgomery County's broadband connectivity initiatives. Internet service accessibility, affordability, and adoption are critical factors in driving economic development and full participation in the digital economy throughout the County. Funding will support planning, design, and construction of MoCoNet residential broadband in affordable housing developments; Public Wi-Fi and Advanced Wireless Conduit Networks in commercial and community gathering areas of Montgomery County; Innovation Testbeds for expansion of traffic, transit, and pedestrian sensors, Artificial Intelligence (AI) applications, Internet of Things (IoT), and cybersecurity innovation in Montgomery County; and the White Oak Science Gateway Conduit Network to provide broadband conduit infrastructure in Viva White Oak and other White Oak commercial development projects.

In FY26, MoCoNet expanded to nine affordable housing developments, which offers service to 1,071 affordable apartments, including the redeveloped Department of Recreation headquarters, Allium Place Apartments, and opening soon at the Randolph Rd Condos developed with Habitat for Humanity. The majority of MoCoNet-served apartments are reserved for families earning less than the area median income. In FY26, MoCoNet will complete spending of $15.1 million of federal funding and expand service to eleven locations, increasing service to a total of 3,948 affordable apartments. The East County Fiber Highway Phase II connections to the Inter-County Broadband Network in Howard County was completed in FY25 and Prince George's County will be completed in FY26. White Oak Science Gateway conduit construction will shift to FY28-FY30 performed concurrently with Viva White Oak development. Outreach with private partners for public Wi-Fi, AI pilots, initiatives with the Institute for Health Computing, advanced wireless, conduit, and testbeds in commercial and community gathering areas are ongoing.

Supplemental appropriation to continue expansion of free 300/300 Mbps MoCoNet residential broadband services to four affordable housing developments owned by the Affordable Homes and Communities and the Housing Opportunities Commission and the addition of expenditures for FY31 and FY32 in this level of effort project.

Montgomery Connects is a broadband economic development program designed to ensure that businesses and residents have as much reliable, secure, and robust broadband service as they need to live, work, learn, and keep our economy moving at the speed of our ideas. Montgomery Connects works to bring broadband service, devices, and skills training to support County investments in affordable housing; expands access to competitive broadband services in commercial buildings to support small and large businesses; and leverages infrastructure development and strategic conduit and network deployment to create robust public Wi-Fi, public-private partnerships, and leasing of County broadband assets. Access to reliable broadband infrastructure throughout the County supports business growth and innovation in AI, biotech bio-health, cybersecurity, IT services, financial services, extended reality (XR), media and similar high-bandwidth-consuming sectors, and the growth of federal and state government, research, and higher education institutions.

The Montgomery Connects CIP provides engineering, planning, and design work to support state and federal broadband grant applications.

In FY25, a correction was made to reflect intergovernmental funding as Federal Aid passed through the State and funding acceleration. FY25 supplemental appropriation in Federal Aid for the amount of $4,629,208 and a special appropriation in Federal Aid for the amount of $961,000. In FY26 supplemental in Contributions for the amount of $43,656 from Affordable Homes and Communities, Federal Aid for the amount of $6,128,167 from the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development pass through the Federal Government American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.

The County Executive asserts that this project conforms to the requirement of relevant local plans, as required by the Maryland Economic Growth, Resource Protection and Planning Act.

FiberNet (P509651); Department of Technology and Enterprise Business Solutions (TEBS); Purple Line Department of Transportation; Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission; Montgomery College; WSSC Water; Information Technology Policy Coordination Committee; Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation; and affordable housing developers in Montgomery County.