Federal broadband grants coming to Michigan

The federal government recently announced grant awards for expanding broadband access in 37 states, including Michigan. The most recent announcement involves $1.8 billion in funding under the Recovery Act. It is part of an overall total of almost $7 billion in federal funding under the Recovery Act initiative. The awards are part of a program administered by the Department of Commerce's National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and the Department of Agriculture's Rural Utilities Service (RUS) to expand broadband access and adoption across the country. The three Michigan projects include:

• $69.6 million awarded to Merit Network, Inc. The award will allow Merit Network to offer affordable middle-mile broadband service in Michigan's Upper Peninsula and Lower Northern Peninsula, with additional connections to research and educational networks in Wisconsin and Minnesota. The project plans to directly connect 61 community institutions to broadband.
• $6.1 million awarded to Michigan State University. The grant will allow Michigan State University to establish and upgrade more than 200 public computer centers in the south-central Michigan region.
• $5.6 million awarded to Bloomingdale Communications, Inc. This award will allow Bloomingdale Communications to offer affordable middle-mile broadband service in southwest Michigan. The project plans to directly connect 40 community institutions to broadband.