Residents encouraged to challenge state broadband service map

Mason County residents and business owners are being encouraged to confirm or challenge their access to high-speed internet by visiting merit.edu/challenge by Tuesday, April 23, 2024.  Residents with unreliable, slow or no internet access are asked, in particular, to check their addresses on the map. This includes those who have internet at the road but cannot afford the cost to have fiber brought to their residence.

The Michigan High Speed Internet (MIHI) Office has released a new map of reported broadband service for the state and is accepting challenges to the data shown on the maps during this brief challenge period.  Once challenges are received, service providers will have the opportunity for rebuttal.  In the end, the final decisions will be used to prioritize the funding and timing of broadband expansion using Michigan’s Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) dollars.

“Michigan is fortunate to have received more than $1.5 billion to build out internet infrastructure, but we don’t want Mason County left behind if the existing map makes our internet access and service look better than it actually may be in spots,” said Kristi Lucas-Zimmerman, economic development director for Mason County at the Chamber Alliance for Mason County. “It’s imperative that residents and businesses check their address on the MIHI portal and make sure it accurately represents the internet service available to them.”

Officials from local units of government have also been encouraged to review the area of the map representing their community in order to make direct challenges to the Michigan High Speed Internet Office through a separate link.

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