6/21/23 - Extended Broadband For Michigan Residents

The Michigan High-Speed Internet Office announces recommendations for a program that will expand Broadband Networks in the state.

• Michigan Infrastructure Asset Map: Through a partnership with the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, MIHI is mapping the location of high-speed internet infrastructure in each of Michigan’s 83 counties. This map is different than anything that has been done before: until now, we have relied on internet service providers to tell us where service is available. It is widely acknowledged that this information has been incomplete and inaccurate.
  
  This new map will be put to use in two important ways:
  • Michigan will be uniquely positioned to file a statewide Tier 1 (“knowledge of infrastructure”) challenge to the Federal Communications Commission new broadband coverage map – which will be critical in maximizing the funds awarded to Michigan through the Broadband Equity, Access & Deployment program.
  • We will launch a new geospatial platform alongside the ROBIN program that will support potential applicants for those grants.
     
• ROBIN: Michigan invested the resources provided by the federal Coronavirus Capital Projects Fund into the Realizing Opportunity with Broadband Infrastructure Networks (ROBIN) grant program. Applications will open in early 2023 for grants to bring high-speed internet access to unserved locations (homes, businesses, and institutions without internet service of at least 100/20 Mbps from at least one internet service provider). Up to 35% of ROBIN funds can be awarded to middle-mile projects and the remainder is dedicated to last-mile service projects.
   
• MI Connected Future: Every region and every community in our state is unique, and MIHI needs input from them all. We will host multiple on-the-ground community engagement meetings in each of the state’s 10 prosperity regions and provide “Community Meeting In A Box” support to those that wish to host their own meetings. In addition, we will convene a series of virtual roundtable discussions with partner organizations. All of this feedback will be used to guide our plans for using the once-in-a-generation resources that Michigan will receive through the federal Broadband Access, Equity, and Deployment Act and Digital Equity Act.

The Michigan High-Speed Internet Office (MIHI) announced this week the initial recommendations for the Realizing Opportunity with Broadband Infrastructure Networks (ROBIN) grant program.

The program will provide $238 million in federal funding through the Coronavirus Capital Projects Fun to support providing internet to at least 106,00 homes and businesses in the state of Michigan.

“The ROBIN Grant Program will provide much-needed funding support for the development and expansion of broadband infrastructure to underserved Michigan communities,” said Susan Corbin, director of the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity (LEO).

This will allow more residents to have greater access to critical resources such as remote education, telemedicine, and online networking.

Not all initial grant recommendations are expected to be funded or receive their full funding pending the outcome of a 45-day comment and objection window, where anyone may file a comment or objection to one or more of the recommendations. The comment and objection window will be open from June 16 through July 31, 2023.

See a map of broadband locations here.