For immediate release:
Contact: Nathan Miller
nathan.miller1@maryland.gov
443-346-3972
Crownsville, MD: On Tuesday, January 07, Governor Wes Moore signed an
executive order establishing
the Digital Infrastructure Group. This interagency partnership is designed to enhance collaboration among Maryland State and county entities to streamline the coordinated development of broadband infrastructure. This broadband expansion will increase internet coverage, boost state revenue, eliminate financial inefficiencies, and bridge the digital divide across the state.
Through the Digital Infrastructure Group, the Moore-Miller administration will further eliminate silos and redundancies by adopting a shared broadband infrastructure model, the first of its kind in the nation. The State of Maryland is a national model in public-sector broadband development. Maryland is one of the few states in the country where multiple state agencies have access to both wired and wireless infrastructure. For example, networkMaryland, a state-owned broadband network housed within the Maryland Department of Information Technology (DoIT), has already driven significant financial efficiencies for the state, helping it save approximately $90 million annually.
But, like the rest of state governments in the US, Maryland has lacked a governance system to adequately coordinate the development of public-sector broadband infrastructure. This lack of governance meant that state and local Maryland agencies often did not develop and share resources together, leading to financial inefficiencies created by redundant infrastructure. This lost money and time impedes state and local agencies from being able to accomplish their missions and their ability to expand into un(der)served areas of the state.
By establishing DoIT as the leader of this interagency partnership, the state will benefit from a centralized planning body that will illuminate resources, enabling agencies to share and build infrastructure to accomplish state priorities. This increased access will support transportation systems, smart device initiatives, government agencies, and community anchor institutions, helping the state deliver more responsive government services. It will also help the state’s infrastructure reach last-mile un(der)served areas like the Eastern Shore that have historically had low internet coverage.
“We are uniquely positioned to lead the nation’s first state Digital Infrastructure Group, ” says
DoIT Secretary Katie Savage. “Our in-house expertise combined with cutting-edge geospatial platforms and existing infrastructure will give us the tools to plan and coordinate infrastructure development effectively. We will transform from a reactive and uncoordinated system to one that optimizes taxpayer dollars and even gives the State opportunities to boost revenue from major ISPs and cellular carriers.”
The Digital Infrastructure Group will be led by Eric Bathras, DoIT’s Chief Technology Officer for Infrastructure. Bathras brings over 30 years of expertise in public and private sector broadband networks. His experience in both sectors will help the State realistically integrate innovations from private-sector ISPs into the state's broadband infrastructure.
For example, the Digital Infrastructure Group will use a detailed data map of public sector broadband assets through DoIT’s in-house geospatial platform, called “the Single View.” Many private sector ISPs use Single View platforms to visualize, plan, and coordinate resources effectively. This innovative platform will be an in-depth, visual data dashboard that will not only help DoIT effectively manage assets but also identify opportunities for resource-sharing programs. Resource-sharing programs allow private sector ISPs and cellular carriers to use state-owned broadband assets for a fee, feeding back into the state’s budget.
By prioritizing collaboration and functionality, Maryland is poised to set a new national standard in broadband coordination and investment. This investment will lead to greater financial efficiencies and enable the state to deliver critical government services.