Testing will begin this summer to determine site conditions for a cable that will bring high speed internet to Beaver Island.
The cable would run underwater in Lake Michigan, stretching from Charlevoix to the Central Michigan University Biological Station on the eastern portion of the island. Another segment would extend from the northern part of the island to the Upper Peninsula, diversifying the UP's broadband sources.
The CMU Board of Trustees recently approved geologic testing at the station to assess the suitability of the site where the cable will emerge.
The project is led by the Peninsula Fiber Network, which has set aside $87 million to expand broadband in under-served Michigan communities. The Beaver Island connection is one of three planned routes to bring "middle-mile" infrastructure to over 35,000 homes in need of broadband internet connection.
St. James Township supervisor Bobbi Welke said internet currently comes from microwave systems, and that internet service providers have not chosen to invest in the island due to its small population — with roughly 600 year-round residents.
"There are many days the service goes down," Welke said. "People who come here thinking they're going to work remotely are not that successful. Even school kids doing their homework from home, many times, can't get it done."
The Beaver Island Association recently received $43,000 in state grant funding to map out a fiber-to-home network and establish a township-owned broadband system. Welke said work on that work will begin this spring.
"Eventually it's going to come to a vote of the people, to say yes, we want it and we're willing to have a very small property tax payment, and we acknowledge the rest of the payments will come from bonds both townships issue," she said.
The construction on the Peninsula Fiber Network cable is planned to begin next year.
