Branch County receives $22.4 million grant for rural fiber internet

Don Reid, Coldwater Daily Reporter
·2 min read

BRANCH COUNTY — The county learned Tuesday it is a step closer to providing high-speed internet service countywide winning a $22.4 million grant from the state of Michigan.

The grant came from the Realizing Opportunity with Broadband Infrastructure Networks grant, called ROBIN.

County administrator Bud Norman explained the county broadband fiber internet proposals last year when requesting local participants.
County administrator Bud Norman explained the county broadband fiber internet proposals last year when requesting local participants.

County commissioners committed $1 million of American Rescue Plan Act funds as a local match for the grant application.

Last fall, commissioners selected Frontier North Inc. as a partner to provide service to the unserved areas of the county with high-speed broadband at an estimated $38 million cost. The telecommunication company will pay the difference and operate the system.

The state will release grant money to Frontier for its project in August.

Prior story ore: Branch County teams up with Frontier to build high-speed internet system

Initially, the county discussed using its entire $8.2 million ARPA funds for internet, then dropped the number to $5 million. With over $11 million in requests for ARPA money, the matching money went to $1 million when County Administrator Bud Norman learned committing more local funds would give the county only a limited additional grant application advantage.

In the initial presentation, Frontier North wanted to serve 6,700 locations the telecom company said needed high-speed service.

Frontier will build Branch County's rural fiber internet with the ROBIN state grant along with its investment.
Frontier will build Branch County's rural fiber internet with the ROBIN state grant along with its investment.

Federal Communication Commission maps indicated some northwest and southwest areas of Branch County were already served by WOW and Mercury Communications. 

The grant application reduced the number of locations to be served to 4,700.

Norman said those locations are 20% to 25% of the population who still don’t have fiber connections.    

The 2020 census showed 86% of the county had internet service. During the COVID-19, local surveys found less than 35% had adequate speeds and service for educational and business purposes. 

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Spectrum provides high-speed service where its cable system operates.

Coldwater added 1 gigabyte of fiber service throughout its urban service area in the last two years.

DMCI is building a fiber network south of Bronson and planning one for the Quincy area southward.

---Contact Don Reid: dReid@Gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter: @DReidTDR

This article originally appeared on Coldwater Daily Reporter: Branch County receives $22.4 million grant for rural fiber internet