The state’s High-Speed Internet Office recently stopped in Mount Pleasant to hear concerns from mid-Michigan residents about accessing reliable, high-speed internet.
Millions of dollars in federal funding have been pledged to Michigan to increase access to high-speed internet as part of the new national infrastructure law passed by Congress in 2022.
According to state, 31% of Michigan households don’t have a high-speed internet connection.
And where that funding goes will be dictated by the Federal Communications Commission latest broadband map.
But for Jerry Becker, Clare County’s emergency manager, the window to challenge the map was too short.
Becker also begged the question to state officials: how can you fill out an online survey about not having internet access, without access to the internet?
"I felt that wasn't really totally fair that they did that, you know, it was such a short window to challenge it," said Becker. "There are still discrepancies in the map that unfortunately are there now, but it's much closer than it was."
Becker also noted the difficulties his county has working with internet service providers. He said they've been trying to bring more into the county but have had mixed results.
"When a provider comes in, a lot of times, they're looking on a return on investment. When you look at that return on investment in a rural market, especially in a lower income area, like we are, an area that's retirees and resort properties. It's very difficult," said Becker.
The next stop on the High-Speed Internet Office's MI Connected Future tour will be Tuesday March 28 at the Gratiot-Isabella Education Service District Building. This will be stop 19 for the office on its statewide listening tour, which will continue into the spring and summer months.
Allie Herkenroder is the digital equity director for Michigan’s High-Speed Internet Office. She said if people don’t come to the meeting or get in touch with the office, they’ll have to make assumptions when distributing future resources.
"We have assumptions that affordability is a problem for low-income communities and for urban communities. And we have an assumption that availability is a problem for the problem for rural communities. But we don't know that for a fact," said Herkenroder
Herkenroder said the state will collect data from its statewide tour to help inform their development of a plan to bring more high-speed internet to Michiganders in need.
