Knowledge Base
Get answers to frequently asked questions.
Learn more about Choptank Fiber, LLC business practices by visiting the Terms and Conditions page.
Learn more about the buildout process, start to finish, by viewing our Interactive Map.
Yes. Locating and marking underground wires and pipes is the responsibility of the person or company that owns that wire or pipe. When you contract with Choptank Fiber to have underground fiber installed from the roadway to your house, you bear significant responsibility in locating and marking things buried on your property. Click here to read about how to, and why it's important for you to locate your private utilities.
We submit a Miss Utility locating ticket to identify lines owned by public utilities (electric, gas, and phone lines up to the meter). The homeowner is responsible for identifying private utilities (invisible fencing, sprinkler systems, well and septic systems and their power or electric service, water and sewer pipes from the meter to your home, etc.). Private locating companies or your county Environmental Health Department can help find private underground lines if needed.
Click here to view the Field Engineer Checklist we complete with customers at their property when meeting to map the path for the fiber to the home in preparation for construction. In the event there is damage to homeowner’s facilities due to unmarked or mismarked lines, all repair costs will be borne by the homeowner.
We began connecting customers in Spring 2021. Choptank Fiber is working as quickly as we can in areas around the Eastern Shore.
This is a 10-year project that we hope to accelerate with grant funding.
For specific pricing and plan details, visit our Packages webpage. We do plan to offer broadband over fiber optic connections directly to the home. We will offer packages up to 2.5 gigabit speeds and we will not have data caps. We are offering phone service (VoIP) as well. At this time we will not offer television programming.
Fiber to the home (FTTH) is service that delivers broadband to the consumer using fiber optic technology directly to the home. Examples of daily applications of FTTH include internet-able devices such as computers, streaming devices (Roku, Apple TV, etc.), gaming systems, web-enabled appliances, and more.
Speed and quality! Fiber optic internet provides service at levels well beyond what is needed for any typical home or business, meaning the network that Choptank Fiber is building is future proof. Second, not all bandwidth is the same. Fiber optic internet is also the most consistent and of the highest quality for streaming video and voice applications.
The goal is to serve all Choptank Electric’s members. We anticipate this being a ten-year project to build out with underserved locations being given a higher priority.
Maps are available on our website showing the locations that have been identified for design and ultimately construction. These maps are for general reference only. Check back regularly for updates and register your address so that when your area is ready for service, we will inform you via email.
While the priority is to serve Choptank Electric members, if it is feasible to serve non-members during a buildout in a contiguous area then it will be considered during design but is only on a case-by-case basis.
The most important goal is to serve the unserved. Choptank Fiber’s priority is to serve anyone that does not have cable or fiber optic internet capable of meeting the FCC’s guideline on high-speed internet service which is currently at 25Mbs download and 3Mbs upload.
This is primarily a large construction project. Planning, design and ultimately pulling and connecting the cable is a time consuming process and a significant financial undertaking.
There must be an initial assessment of the area, financial business case built, network planning, engineering and ultimately the construction.
Yes, since new construction is required, we are putting a contract requirement in place to ensure the Co-op recoups its investment. The contract will require a two-year commitment.
We charge a one-time $75 processing fee when a new account is created.
The $150 installation fee is waived if an application is received during the initial construction build-out period. Make sure to sign up for service as soon as you are notified that it is available in your area.
No. Monthly service fees include standard in-home equipment.
Monthly service fees include standard in-home equipment. The equipment will provide the needed connectivity, firewall and Wi-Fi.
During our initial buildout, we are waiving the long driveway fees (some restrictions apply). After the initial build out we are including up to 1,000 feet from the street of installation. Beyond that there will be a $1 per foot charge which can be paid in installments.
Yes, since there is no existing cable on the property, we will need to run a new line on the property.
Yes, we will need to run the cable to the inside of the property to connect to the in-home equipment.
The maps are only an overview of the territory. The best way to determine if service is available in your area is to visit https://choptankfiber.com/ and enter your address in the “Check for service” section. We will also be communicating our rollout plans as they are made available on our website at www.choptankfiber.com, via email, or on social media.