ALLEGAN, MI (WKZO AM/FM) — The Allegan County Board of Commissioners, the County and 123.NET signed an agreement on Thursday, January 12 that will provide wired broadband infrastructure and service to 12,000 unserved addresses, meaning those without access to download speeds of over 100mb.
The final agreement comes after the Allegan County Board of Commissioners awarded the $17.7 million bid to 123.net of Southfield in November 2022.
“123.NET is a foundational provider of Michigan Broadband infrastructure,” said the county’s Broadband Project Manager, Jill Dunham. “From their reasonable monthly rates to the open access network proposed, they offer a great solution for Allegan County.”
Board Chair Jim Storey of Holland, issued a commemorative certificate memorializing the event.
Chairperson Storey described the signing of the agreement as a “monumental milestone of progress to the benefit of citizens throughout Allegan County.”
Storey went onto say, “This milestone agreement is another example of what can be accomplished through teamwork and a spirit of togetherness. I am confident the remaining tasks will continue to demonstrate that same spirit and our residents will reap the rewards through our accomplishments.”
“It is an honor to be part of the process of developing an agreement that will positively impact so many lives and keep Allegan County on the path of progress. We are fortunate to have a County team with a variety of talents that can come together to deliver a result and new partners like 123.NET wanting to join our team and invest in Allegan County,” said County Administrator Rob Sarro.
Commissioners say the 123.NET agreement will utilize $17.7M in county ARPA funds, combined with provider capital and state/federal funding for a total project of approximately $70M. Once all funding is received, the project is expected to be completed in approximately 18-24 months.
