Comcast, Hartford Collaborate For High Speed Internet

Courtesy of City of Hartford

HARTFORD, CT — A significant neighborhood in Hartford is about to get high-speed internet access for its business community there.

On Oct. 28, Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin and the Hartford City Council, alongside state Sen. Doug McCrory, D-Hartford, and state Sen. John Fonfara, D-Hartford, announced a partnership with Comcast that will bring high-speed fiber internet lines to businesses along North Main Street and Windsor Street.

This expansion of service will bring fast and reliable internet to 94 unserved businesses along the North Main Street business corridor.

In February, the City of Hartford announced the plans to bring high-speed fiber internet lines to businesses along the North Main Street business corridor, releasing an open request for proposals to utility providers, from which Comcast’s proposal was chosen. '

Comcast and the city will split the project cost, with the city contributing $750,000 of the project’s total $1,681,800 cost.

The conduit will be owned by the city with shared use by Comcast.

“Bringing high-speed Internet access to North Main Street and Windsor Street is a game changer for the nearly 100 locally-owned small businesses located along our North Main Street commercial corridor, a critical investment in 21st century infrastructure to help these businesses compete and grow,” said Bronin.

“High-speed and reliable internet is a basic necessity for businesses of any size today, and the City of Hartford has made a direct investment of American Rescue Plan resources alongside Comcast’s private investment, to get this done for our small businesses on North Main.

"I want to thank Comcast for its partnership, and I want to thank our city council, our community leaders, and most especially, our small businesses, both for their partnership and for their patience and perseverance. This project is long overdue, and we’re proud to finally be able to get it done with this public-private partnership.”

“We are proud to partner with the City of Hartford and invest further in Connecticut by bringing our fiber-rich network and advanced Comcast Business products and services to unserved North End businesses,” said Carolyne Hannan, senior vice president of Comcast’s Western New England Region, which is based in Connecticut.

“Having access to a reliable network that delivers speed, security, scalability and functionality is a game changer when it comes to running a thriving business that can compete on a local and national level.”

“It’s been a long time and countless meeting to give local merchants access to quality and reliable high-speed cable. Today Comcast, who has been a forward thinking company for decades, that has stepped up to the plate to fulfill the needs of local merchants, who need good and fast cable to compete and work more efficiently. Comcast has now championed our cause,” said Hartford Enterprise Zone Business Association President Reggie Hales.

“We are thankful to the Mayor and City Council for making it possible to get reliable internet connectivity after 15 years on Main Street in Hartford,” said Max Kothari, CEO of Express Kitchens and Chair of the Hartford Chamber of Commerce.

"The increased access to reliable network services Comcast will provide with this project makes a direct economic impact on our business community," State Representative Maryam Khan said. "Nearly 100 local businesses will now have the resources they need to operate efficiently and be given the opportunity for growth. I am thankful to Comcast for investing in North Hartford and excited to see the long-term success that comes from this project."

This press release was produced by the Hartford County Government. The views expressed here are the author’s own.