Governor Whitmer proclaims Michigan wins funding to construct 525 miles of high-speed web, reducing prices for Michigan residents

“From St. Joseph to Houghton, we’re working to make sure that each Michigander has entry to high-speed, high-quality, reasonably priced Web,” he stated. Governor Gretchen Whitmer. “I am happy with the Michigan-based Peninsula Fiber Community for securing the funding wanted to attach extra individuals to high-speed Web. Since I took workplace, we have expanded attain to an extra 23,000 households and small companies so college students can join with their academics, and folks can entry healthcare providers , and companies can develop.Collectively, we’ll proceed to develop entry to high-speed Web so that everybody in Michigan can obtain it.

The $61 million grant is being awarded beneath NTIA’s Center Mile Broadband Infrastructure Grant Program, and the Michigan Division of Transportation has supplied a letter of assist for the undertaking. The grant will enable PFN to implement the Michigan Peninsula Infrastructure and Vital Crossings (IMPACC) undertaking. The funding will likely be used to put 535 miles of recent mid-mile fiber by means of underserved and underserved communities all through Michigan. The undertaking goals to assemble undersea routes from Charlevoix to Beaver Island to Gulliver within the UP, and from Benton Harbor to Chicago, in addition to overland fiber routes connecting Charlevoix to Grayling, from Port Huron to Flint, and from Benton Harbor to Grand Rapids.

“With entry to reasonably priced, high-speed Web as a instrument we now have, we will join extra Michiganders to financial alternative,” he stated. Lieutenant Governor Garlin Gilchrist II. “Governor Whitmer and I are dedicated to increasing high-speed web entry all through Michigan, and we have already related greater than 23,000 houses, companies, and unserved areas. Immediately’s $61 million Center Mile award will assist be sure that irrespective of the place you reside “In Michigan, you possibly can study, work, and join with others with high-speed web. We are going to proceed to work with anybody to attach Michigan households, small companies, and develop our economic system.”

The undertaking will meet the distinctive fiber wants of the center mile of Michigan’s two-part peninsula state. The extra middle-mile capability will assist ship decrease prices and sooner speeds for last-mile deployments whereas bettering the reliability and redundancy of current networks throughout the state.

“The MIHI staff is thrilled that this vital grant will handle the distinctive fiber wants within the center mile of our peninsula state and drastically help the success of the BEAD program to carry high-speed, dependable, reasonably priced web to all Michiganders.” eric Frederick, Chief Liaison Officer for the Michigan Workplace of Excessive Velocity ​​Web.

The Center Mile Grant Program offers as much as $1 billion in funding earmarked by IIJA to construct, enhance, and purchase infrastructure for the Center Mile. The aim of the grant program is to develop and develop the infrastructure of the center mile to cut back the price of connecting underserved or underserved areas to the Web spine.

“As we grow to be extra depending on expertise for training, work and every day life, equitable entry to broadband is extra vital than ever,” he stated. Zachary Koloden, Chief of the Michigan Workplace of Infrastructure and Director of the Michigan Workplace of Infrastructure. “With this $61 million grant, Michigan has now obtained greater than $200 million in federal funding for high-speed Web entry, serving to to bridge the digital divide and making certain that every one residents have equal alternatives to achieve the digital age.”

“Web connectivity is the spine of Michigan’s economic system, permitting companies to thrive, connecting individuals with well being care providers and training suppliers, and serving to individuals join regionally and all over the world. This grant, together with PFN’s personal funding, will enable the set up of infrastructure for the center mile of That can assist present higher and sooner broadband to among the most underserved areas in our state whereas strengthening community connections between Michigan’s Peninsula and with a neighboring state.” stated Peninsula Fiber Community common supervisor Scott Randall. “We’re grateful to our native, state, and federal companions for his or her assist with this grant and look ahead to getting began on this vital infrastructure undertaking.”

Increasing high-speed web for Michigan residents

Governor Whitmer believes that each Michigan household and enterprise deserves entry to a dependable, reasonably priced high-speed Web connection that meets their wants. Excessive-speed Web expands financial alternatives for households, enhances instructional experiences for college kids, and permits distant entry to key healthcare providers.

• Offering high-speed Web entry to greater than 23,000 houses, companies and neighborhood establishments comparable to colleges and libraries since taking workplace.
• Set a purpose for the state to offer 100% entry to high-speed Web and 95% adoption by households inside the subsequent 5 years.
• Present high-speed Web entry to greater than 18,000 houses and companies, by means of the Michigan Related Communities Grant Program.
• It raised greater than $700 million in federal funding and signed on to the Constructing Michigan Collectively plan, which invested $249 million to attach extra households and small companies to the quick, dependable, high-speed Web that meets their wants.
• He was appointed chief of communications to guide broadband efforts within the state and leverage funding from the bipartisan Infrastructure Act (BIL).
• The Michigan Workplace of Excessive-Velocity ​​Web and the Michigan Connectivity Job Drive had been created to coordinate high-speed Web work within the state and align work with financial improvement alternatives.

This grant is the most recent in Michigan’s efforts to safe funding to enhance the state’s high-speed web infrastructure. Michigan’s Workplace of Excessive-Velocity ​​Web has submitted greater than 100,000 broadband map challenges revealed by the FCC, with the purpose of making certain that correct maps will end in full and truthful funding of Michigan’s high-speed Web wants by means of broadband, entry, and Web rights. Publishing Program (BEAD). Earlier this month, Governor Whitmer and Michigan’s Workplace of Excessive-Velocity ​​Web introduced the launch of a statewide Michigan ACP Act Now initiative to boost consciousness of IIJA-funded broadband advantages that may assist low-income households pay for high-speed web.