Gigabit fiber Internet headed to Michigan
Ann Arbor, Michigan, did not win its bid to get the first installation of Google Fiber in 2011, but now, small companies across the state are looking to fill in the gaps in coverage.
“Ultra-high-speed infrastructure is critical for securing Michigan’s place in the digital economy,” Michigan Economic Development Corporation CEO Steve Arwood said. “The carriers on this map clearly recognize this mission and are ready to serve our communities, residents, businesses and institutions with the fastest Internet connections available.”
In Lansing, the state capital, fiber Internet is accessible for more than 8,000 homes in the city and the areas surrounding it for as little as $49 per month.
“We’re bringing it to everybody,” Jason Schreiber, the CEO of LightSpeed, the company providing the service, said. “We have more orders coming in every day than we can deliver them. The demand has been fantastic.”
Eric Frederick, the executive director of Connect Michigan, said he can see citizens deciding where to live or move in the future based on access to fiber Internet. According to Frederick, real estate agents in the area have contacted him to find out if properties that are listed have high-speed connectivity.
“Folks are finding that they can’t sell their home if they don’t have a broadband connection, let alone a fiber connection,” Frederick said.
