Barry County joins Connect Michigan

From Julie Makarewicz | The Grand Rapids Press:

HASTINGS — Barry County has enrolled in a program seeking to increase access, reliability and use of broadband.

Connect Michigan is a statewide nonprofit organization promoting broadband expansion. Barry is only the second county in the state to begin working with Connect Michigan through a connected community certification program.

Read more from Barry County joins Connect Michigan

Clare County leaders enroll in an innovative program

From www.clarecountyreview.com:

Clare County leaders became the first in the state to enroll their community in an innovative program that seeks to boost the local economy and quality of life for residents though increased access, adoption, and use of broadband.

Staff from Connect Michigan, the statewide nonprofit promoting broadband expansion, led 16 Clare County leaders through the steps of the new “Connected” community certification program that offers a comprehensive and localized way for communities to bridge the digital divide impacting many communities.

Read more from Clare County leaders enroll in an innovative program.

What could better Internet access mean for Michigan's recovery?

By Rick Haglund |AnnArbor.com

More than 90 percent of Michigan residents have access to high-speed Internet service at home, but about a third don’t subscribe because it’s either too expensive or they don’t think they need it, a new survey shows.

The study by the Michigan Public Service Commission and Connect Michigan is the first to assess how people use the Internet in the state.

Officials say the results have broad implications for policymakers and Internet providers planning for the future needs of their customers, as well as for the state’s economy.

To read more click here.

Byrum: Broadband can help grow ag economy

Lansing State Journal
Op-Ed

Expanding high-speed broadband access presents a real opportunity for Michigan to grow our economy, especially in rural areas.

For Michigan agriculture, broadband access can help rural businesses, farms and communities truly compete in a 21st century global economy, by accessing information faster, attracting investments and creating new jobs in areas of our state that typically struggle to get access to new technology. That's why Michigan agri-businesses are excited about the potential broadband expansions into rural areas that the AT&T-T-Mobile merger would create.

To read more click here.

MPSC, Connect Michigan announce new effort to expand broadband opportunities in Michigan

From the River County Journal:

Representatives of K-12 education, higher education, healthcare, non-profits, tourism, business, agriculture, government and broadband service providers have joined with the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) and Connect Michigan to expand broadband’s availability and adoption in Michigan...

Read more MPSC, Connect Michigan announce new effort to expand broadband opportunities in Michigan

Connect Michigan, MPSC In New Push For Broadband

From CBS-Detroit:

In a state where millions still don’t subscribe to broadband, a new effort is under way to expand access to the essential utility of the information age.

Connect Michigan and the Michigan Public Service Commission convened the first Collaborative Broadband Committee meeting Thursday in Lansing...

Read more from Connect Michigan, MPSC In New Push For Broadband

Marquette ready to show off Web savvy for Obama

By Nathan Hurst / Detroit News Washington Bureau

Marquette — President Barack Obama is expected today during his trip to Marquette to push his National Wireless Initiative whose aim is to make high-speed wireless service available to 98 percent of Americans...

...On the eve of Obama's visit, Connect Michigan, a private-public partnership working on expanding broadband, released a report showing businesses in Michigan with access to high-speed Internet access have median annual revenues totaling $200,000 higher than those without...

From The Detroit News: http://detnews.com/article/20110210/METRO/102100430/Marquette-ready-to-show-off-Web-savvy-for-Obama#ixzz1DZiib7hL

Michigan Businesses With Broadband Create Jobs, Connect Michigan Report Shows

From CBS-Detriot:

A day after releasing a report on broadband adoption in the Upper Peninsula, Connect Michigan released a report showing businesses with a broadband connection are likely to generate more revenue and jobs...

Read Michigan Businesses With Broadband Create Jobs, Connect Michigan Report Shows

Obama to shine spotlight on web-savvy Mich. town

From CNBC:

MARQUETTE, Mich. - A century-old outdoor clothing store ships coats and woolen socks around the nation, while down the block one of the newer companies in town fields inquiries about its miniature video cameras that skiers, mountain bikers and even troops in Afghanistan attach to their helmets to record themselves in action...

About 75 percent of households in the Upper Peninsula have access to some level of broadband service, according to Connect Michigan, a partnership of the state Public Service Commission and Connected Nation, a national broadband mapping group...

Read Obama to shine spotlight on web-savvy Mich. town.

Connect Michigan: UP Broadband Adoption Lags

From CNBC:

MARQUETTE, Mich. - A century-old outdoor clothing store ships coats and woolen socks around the nation, while down the block one of the newer companies in town fields inquiries about its miniature video cameras that skiers, mountain bikers and even troops in Afghanistan attach to their helmets to record themselves in action...

About 75 percent of households in the Upper Peninsula have access to some level of broadband service, according to Connect Michigan, a partnership of the state Public Service Commission and Connected Nation, a national broadband mapping group...

Read Obama to shine spotlight on web-savvy Mich. town.

Connect Michigan Awarded $3 Million in Recovery Act Funding

From WWJ Newsradio 950:

The Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration has awarded Connect Michigan approximately $3 million in additional funding, under the State Broadband Data and Development Grant Program, to further implement broadband initiatives over the original five-year award period.

Link to WWJ Newsradio article

ESRI's BroadbandStat Puts Interactive Maps Online

From an ESRI press release:

Four States Inaugurate Maps Showing Detailed Broadband Coverage

Redlands, California—The states of Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, and South Carolina are now providing easy-to-use maps that show in detail each state's broadband coverage. The interactive, online maps are made possible by BroadbandStat, an application based on ESRI geographic information system (GIS) technology, and will help the states plan and improve high-speed Internet access for their residents and businesses.

Press Release link

Calhoun County not so broadband

By Bill Miller/Battle Creek Enquirer's Crossroads blog

A state group today released detailed maps showing broadband availability (and lack of it) around Michigan. And folks, Calhoun County ain’t too speedy. Take a look at this section of one of the maps released by the group, Connect Michigan.

Link to full story

Find Michigan's broadband spots on new interactive map

From MetroModeMedia.com

Where's the broadband? Oh. There it is. Michigan has put together a map, and it's interactive, of where the broadband is. The benefit of something like this is to locate where broadband isn't, and then put it there.

Link to MetroModeMedia.com story

Connected Nation Launches New App for Broadband Mapping in Four States

From Broadband For America's blog:

Connected Nation announced a multi-state launch of a new interactive broadband mapping application in Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada and South Carolina. The maps, which are now accessible through the Connect Michigan www.connectmi.org; Connect Minnesota www.connectmn.org; Connect Nevada www.connectnv; and Connect South Carolina www.connectsc.org websites give local residents a place to find providers at their address, check their current Internet speeds, request broadband service in their area and provide feedback on the initiatives.

Link to story

Website Offers Data On MI Broadband Availability

Michigan Radio Network

An interactive map showing broadband coverage serving more than 95 percent of people in Michigan is now available online. The maps are a product of the connect Michigan Broadband initiative, a public-private partnership between the Michigan Public Service Commission and connected nation, a national nonprofit focused on technology expansion in underserved areas.

They are accessible at http://www.connectmi.org/.

Michigan Launches Interactive Broadband Map

From the Great Lakes Innovation and Technology Report/WWJ Radio

The Michigan Public Service Commission Thursday announced the completion of Michigan’s first broadband availability map aimed at promoting technology development and increasing high-speed Internet throughout the state.

Link for full article

Michigan receives $1.8 million grant to map broadband service

By Kayla Habermehl/The Bay City Times

Michigan received a $1.8 million grant to created a map of existing broadband internet service and to gather information, the Michigan Public Service Commission announced.

Link to article here.

Michigan receives $1.8 million stimulus grant for 'Connect Michigan' broadband program

By The Associated Press via Mlive.com

LANSING, Mich. -- The Michigan Public Service Commission says the state has received a $1.8 million federal stimulus grant to start a broadband mapping and planning program called Connect Michigan.

Link to article here.

State gets $1.8 million federal grant for broadband service plan

by Amy Lane/Crain's Detroit Business

Michigan has received a $1.8 million federal grant to launch an initiative to map and plan broadband service.

Link to article here.