Comcast is proposing a “significant investment“ that would expand its services in Cranberry Township.

Representatives from Comcast gave the first of two “public greetings” in Cranberry Township last week in an effort to expand its reach via a franchise agreement.

“Comcast has business services in the township, and they even have internet services in the township — primarily focused on commercial customers,” township manager Dan Santoro said. “This is about video services that require a cable franchise agreement with the municipality.”

The agreement could also include internet services, Santoro said, but the proposal is in its very early stages.

“This is brand new,” he said.

According to Christian Lundis, senior manager of market development at Comcast, the company already has a strong investment in the Cranberry community.

“Over the last several years, we deployed over 100 miles of fiber infrastructure in the township as it is, so we do have a deep backbone in place,” Lundis said.

The franchise agreement, Lundis said, would build off that backbone to expand services throughout the commercial and residential community.

“It authorizes the cable provider to use the public rights of way that we own,” Santoro explained. “When this provider wants to come in, they’re required to get authorization through a franchise agreement that essentially is a payment for use of the public right of way.”

Lundis said that the provider is in the process of surveying and assessing the township for the expansion.

“We’re still in the planning phases,” Lundis said, “but we are looking to make that investment this year — a significant investment, I’ll say that.”

The expansion, Santoro said, would give residents and businesses more options for service providers in the township.

“I think, it provides an alternative provider for those services,” he said. “We have, currently, two franchise agreements, or two companies, providing these services: Armstrong and Consolidated. This would give customers another alternative.”

Marcie Callan, director of government affairs and advocacy at Comcast, said that the expansion could also bring accessibility to residents.

“It’s not just okay to build it and maintain it,” Callan said. “It has to be an affordable and accessible service.”

According to Callan, Comcast offers a service which, when partnered with the federal government’s Affordable Connectivity Program, makes high-speed internet free for qualifying families.

“I did a little digging before we came up here, and in Cranberry Township there are 200 families who are signed up for the Affordable Care Program,” Callan said. “So, right now, here in your township, they are already getting this $30 benefit program, and we hope one day soon that they’ll also be able to combine it with Comcast services and get their bill down to zero.”

Santoro emphasized the legal process for the agreement is still in its early stage — for now, it is just a proposal.

“There’s a process that’s required, again, under law,” Santoro said. “And there’ll be a more formal hearing at some point in the future when the board is considering the franchise agreement.”