Comcast Franchise Agreement

Calvert County Cable Franchise Renewal

On Dec. 11, 2018, the Board of County Commissioners approved a new 10-year franchise agreement with Comcast. The agreement covers the provision of cable television service in Calvert County. By law, cable franchise agreements only address cable television services, not internet service.

Overview

The cable franchise agreement allows cable television providers to build and operate cable systems in county rights-of-way in exchange for providing cable service to residents. The agreement details which areas will be provided service and covers other services such as public access channels, funding to support local programming, studios and equipment, and more.

Comcast has a non-exclusive franchise in Calvert County. While any cable provider can petition the county to provide service, Comcast is currently the only provider to enter the Calvert County market.

Serving the Unserved

Much of the public feedback gathered during the franchise negotiation process centered on the need to extend cable service to unserved areas. A working group between county government and Comcast identified several areas in the county that required connectivity and began work to bring service by seeking funding solutions that would minimize cost to the potential customer. 

On Dec. 15, 2020, the Board of County Commissioners committed funding to complete the full buildout of Comcast cable infrastructure in Calvert County. This is a critical investment that will ensure homes have cable services available by early 2022.

Serving the Unserved Presentation (Dec. 15, 2020)