This is going on to some degree all across the nation. Broadband and wireless are going to remain very rewarding areas of investment for years to come...every state, county wants their households to be broadband for countless reasons...it is becoming a matter of keeping up w/the Joneses...sates are in a race to get their households wired...:
(PR NEWSWIRE) $1.3 Million Loan Advances Michigan Governor's Broadband Goal
$1.3 Million Loan Advances Michigan Governor's Broadband Goal
LANSING, Mich., April 22 /PRNewswire/ -- Today the Michigan Broadband
Development Authority (MBDA) closed a $1.3 million loan to M-33 Access -- a
wireless Internet service provider based in Rose City, Michigan. The loan
will extend and improve wireless broadband service in a 10,000 square mile
region stretching across one of the state's most rural and underserved
regions. This expanded network (when complete) will be the largest of its
kind in the country, covering the counties of Alcona, Alpena, Arenac,
Crawford, Iosco, Montmorency, Ogemaw, Oscoda, Otsego and Roscommon, and some
portions of Bay, Clare, Kalkaska, Missaukee, Gladwin and Presque Isle.
The financing means a region with a population in excess of 392,000
residents will now enjoy access to wireless broadband service. When fully
operational, approximately 158,500 households and 9700 businesses will have
access to the network. Governor Granholm's State of the State Address
established a goal of expanding affordable broadband service to each corner of
the state by 2007 and she lauded M-33 for its innovation in serving the
region: "M-33 is a fast growing Michigan-based company that is revolutionizing
how broadband can be delivered to users in an effective and cost-efficient
manner. I am thrilled that the entrepreneurial spirit behind this company can
be supported by the state's Broadband Authority loan. This is exactly the
type of project I envisioned when challenging the Authority to help speed
service to all parts of our great state."
The loan will also be used by M-33 to provide broadband service to
Kirtland Community College (KCC) and the Northeast Michigan Electronic
Consortium Internet Group (NEMECIG) -- a consortium of 13 public school
districts, the M-TEC center in Gaylord, and 2 intermediate school districts in
the region. These entities will save nearly $1 million in telecommunications
costs and will have expanded and improved high-speed services as a result of
this project. "I am a strong advocate for providing our students with the
best possible tools to improve the quality of their education," said Glenn
Wilson, President, Chief Executive Officer and founder of M-33 Access. "I am
obviously excited about the project in its entirety, but often think about the
new and exciting world this network will offer to students in the area." The
project will provide broadband access to more than 22,000 K-12 public school
students.
The vice-president of the MBDA, James Butler, III, feels this project is
directly linked to the vision under which the MBDA was created. "Providing
affordable broadband access to underserved regions of the state comes as a
directive right from the statute creating the Broadband Authority. No other
loan application typifies this directive more that this project does," said
Mr. Butler. "When you talk about complete accessibility across 10 counties
covering 10,000 square miles, in one of the most pristine and rural areas of
our state, there is no better project that can be tied to our mission."
M-33 Access presently serves approximately 300 wireless broadband
customers and in excess of 7000 dial-up customers. It will continue its
efforts offering reduced Internet accessibility costs to many of its
customers. Through its Net4Kids program, it offers discounted Internet
service to the parents of children in grades K-12. That same program allows
customers to donate 10 percent of their monthly service fees to their school
district. Additionally, the expansion will also allow M-33 Access to offer
its services to the faculty and students of the areas it serves at discounted
rates.
"The Governor's vision for cool cities and hot jobs throughout a Michigan
connected by high-speed Internet access is further realized by this loan,"
said David C. Hollister, Director of the Michigan Department of Labor &
Economic Growth. "Providers like M-33 Access are helping us ensure that high
speed Internet access is a reality everywhere in Michigan by 2007."
The MBDA continues to seek out new business opportunities across Michigan
to provide broadband accessibility as well as affordability. The MBDA was
created to help the state attract more private sector investment in high-speed
Internet infrastructure, and to increase demand for and utilization of
broadband services. It does so by offering 1) low-cost loans to
telecommunications companies willing to make such investments and, 2) by
offering organizations or "broadband users" low-cost financing for the
acquisition of hardware/software applications that will improve or increase
their use of broadband service. More information about the Michigan Broadband
Development Authority and its programs can be found at
www.BroadbandAuthority.org .
SOURCE Michigan Broadband Development Authority
-0- 04/22/2004
/CONTACT: Brian Sydnor of Michigan Broadband Development Authority,
+1-517-241-2121/
/Web site: broadbandauthority.org /
CO: Michigan Broadband Development Authority; M-33 Access
ST: Michigan
IN: CPR TLS
SU:
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