LANSING, Mich. — Hundreds of thousands of Michiganders will be getting access to high-speed internet.
It's all through new federal infrastructure funding.
The state is set to get more than $1.5 billion through the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment or "BEAD" program. The fourth highest grant funding in the nation.
The Biden-Harris Administration announced more than $40 billion to connect households and small businesses in underserved areas to affordable and reliable high-speed internet.
"I think most people assume most everybody else has it but it's just not true. The 8.4 million locations and 24 million Americans who don't have access to the internet and more who can't afford it."
Governor Gretchen Whitmer called the historic funding a "game-changing investment."
In a statement in part, Whitmer said: "...Today's win will expand economic opportunity for Michiganders and build on the over $700 million in high-speed internet federal funding we have leveraged and $249 million we invested with the bipartisan Building Michigan Together Plan last year..."
President Biden's Senior Advisor says this funding will help grow the economy.
"It's also about bridging the digital divide and making sure everybody has access to knowledge because as you know access to knowledge is the great equilizer. And so President Biden made this commitment and he's honoring that commitment with the largest investment," said Mitch Landrieu, Senior Advisor, President of U.S.
The Michigan High Speed Internet Office will be in charge of creating a five-Year Action Plan to implement the funds then they'll outline a process for those areas in need of broadband to apply for the funding.
The state will begin deploying the BEAD program funds mid to late 2024.
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