ALLEGAN COUNTY, MI (WKZO AM/FM) – The 123NET broadband company, headquartered in Southfield, MI received an initial award of $65 million to construct an open-access, carrier-neutral fiber network for Allegan County on Tuesday, June 20.
This, officials say is pending a 45-day comment and review period with construction scheduled to begin in mid-August.
Allegan County Broadband officials say 123NET is set to provide fiber internet with speeds of up to 10 gigabits per second, which they say is 100 times fater than the county’s original specification.
“We are pleased to be selected as a recipient of the Michigan ROBIN Grant Funding. This recognition validates the hard work and dedication that both we and Allegan County have put into this Project,” says Dan Irvin, CEO of 123NET. “We look forward to partnering with additional communities throughout Michigan in a combined effort to make this state the best connected on the planet.”
Officials go onto to say the project will establish Allegan County as the best-connected county in the state and one of the fastest in the nation.
“The Board of Commissioners’ vision has been to bring broadband to approximately 10,000 addresses in Allegan County currently without access to high-speed internet. Bringing our vision to reality has been a team effort, and this funding is a key step to getting it done,” said Rob Sarro, Allegan County Administrator.
Both Allegan County and 123NET are each investing $17.5 million toward the project which is expected to bring broadband to approximately 10,000 addresses currently without access to high-speed internet.
Construction is scheduled to be completed over the next two years.
