Fiber Broadband High-Speed Internet Coming to Leelanau County
Leelanau County, MI – At a January 17th public meeting, Leelanau County officials, businesses, and residents will learn details surrounding this year’s planned deployment of fiber-optic cable for high-speed internet.
Point Broadband LLC, which contracted with Leelanau County in 2022 to deploy fiber-optic internet service to unserved areas of the county in 2023, will share project updates, timelines, and plans during an Executive Meeting of the Leelanau County Board of Commissioners. The meeting is scheduled for 7:00 pm at the Government Center in Suttons Bay, MI. It will also be live-streamed on the Leelanau County YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNQTgIgcTedF2qB8floC1GQ.
Presenting to the commissioners will be: Dan Sullivan, Point Broadband General Manager for Michigan; Chris Scharrer, CEO of DCS Technology Design and the county’s project manager; and Patricia Soutas-Little, chair of the Leelanau Peninsula Economic Foundation and its Leelanau Internet Futures Team committee, and a former commissioner.
The Leelanau County commissioners are expected to receive a progress report on preparatory and permit work completed to date, and an expected timetable of fiber deployment in specific areas of the county, and anticipated completion targets in 2023.
The presentation will detail the 11 zones in the county, where fiber broadband cabinets or nodes will be located, and when work will begin in each zone, starting in the first quarter of 2023 through the end of the year.
"Fulfilling the County Board's long-sought objective to deliver and improve internet connectivity and cellular service will greatly benefit the residents of our County. We are confident 2023 will prove to be a year of great progress," says Ty Wessell, Chair, Leelanau County Board of Commissioners.
"Although ARPA funding was important, the project is where it is today because of the collaborative partnership between the Board, Leelanau Peninsula Economic Foundation, Connect Michigan, Point Broadband, Cherryland Electric, and the many County residents who have been a part of the Leelanau Internet Futures Team (LIFT),” says Deb Allen, Leelanau County Administrator.
Media Inquiry Contact: Chris Sharrer, DCS Technology Design
Email: clscharrer@dcstechnology.com
Cell: 616-676 6994
Useful background information:
Leelanau Internet Futures Team Overview and Recommendations, January 2022
Point Broadband LLC proposal to Leelanau County, January 2022:
Interactive map of broadband providers serving Leelanau County, including Point Broadband:
Leelanau Board of Commissioners Meeting June 7, 2022, for approval of Point Broadband LLC contract.
About LPEF/LIFT:
In 2016, a survey of Leelanau County business owners, residents, schools, government, and other stakeholders throughout the county, was conducted by the Leelanau Peninsula Economic Foundation, which focused on many issues. The survey report concluded that one of the top barriers to growth and progress across the county was the lack of access to high- speed internet services. The Leelanau Internet Futures Team (LIFT) was established by the Leelanau Peninsula Economic Foundation to develop an action plan to provide high-speed Internet access throughout County.