Mayor Luke Bronin and the Hartford City Council announced a partnership with Comcast that will bring high-speed internet 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.
“Bringing high-speed Internet access to North Main Street and Windsor Street is a game changer for the nearly one hundred 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 Mayor Luke 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 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.”
“This investment by Comcast and the city of Hartford will help our organization thrive,” said Karraine Moody, CEO, Habitat for Humanity, North Central Connecticut. “By ensuring we have access to a reliable, robust network in this area, we and our fellow businesses on North Main and Windsor Streets can more effectively serve our customers and the wider community, which is more important than ever.”
“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.”
Businesses in the North Main Street business corridor will have access to a comprehensive portfolio of Comcast Business products and services to help power and protect their operations, including fast Business Internet for employees and customers, cybersecurity solutions through Comcast Business SecurityEdge™, 4G LTE backup with Connection Pro, Business TV’s live TV and entertainment solutions and Comcast Business Mobile to stay connected to work on-the-go. Construction activities are currently underway and new customers can expect to be connected in Spring of 2023.
The project is part of Comcast’s ongoing investment throughout Connecticut, adding to the $312 million in technology and infrastructure investments the company made in the last three years across the state. Comcast has recently expanded to many new areas in the state like East Lyme, Jewett City, New London and Waterford.
Comcast is deeply committed to advancing digital equity in the communities it serves. This includes equipping entrepreneurs and small business owners with the skills, digital resources, and opportunities they need to thrive through programs like Comcast RISE, which was created in 2020 to strengthen and empower small businesses owned by women and people of color who were most impacted by COVID-19. Through Comcast RISE, over 63 small businesses in Connecticut have received consulting, media and creative production services or technology upgrades from Comcast Business and Effectv, the advertising sales division of Comcast Cable, to date.
Comcast RISE is part of Project UP, the company’s comprehensive initiative to advance digital equity and help build a future of unlimited possibilities. As part of Project UP, Comcast NBCUniversal has committed $1 billion over the next 10 years to reach tens of millions of people through programs and community partnerships that connect people to the Internet, advance economic mobility, and open doors for the next generation of innovators, entrepreneurs, storytellers, and creators.
