123NET is proposing that, if a company wants to use its fiber network to serve customers, they will work with them to come up with an arrangement.”ġ23NET will provide fiber internet with speeds of up to 10 gigabits (Gb) per second, which is 100 times faster than the county’s original specification. There are not many companies currently wanting to serve Allegan County. “123NET is expected to begin construction in mid-August, and I know in talking to them, the timetable is to have broadband internet service finished between 18 and 24 months (later). “We don’t expect any challenges,” says Jill Dunham, Allegan County’s broadband project manager.

The county has pledged $17.7 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds, and 123Net matched that with $17.7 million of its own capital funds.Īpproval of the ROBIN grant is pending a 45-day comment and challenge period from other internet service providers, which will conclude by mid-August. The total cost of the project is $65 million. The Allegan County Board of Commissioners and 123NET established a public-private partnership earlier this year and thereby applied for the ROBIN grant together.

The multimillion-dollar Realizing Opportunities with Broadband Infrastructure Networks (ROBIN) grant will provide close to 50% of the needed financing.

That equates to installing 1,100 miles of high-capacity fiber that will serve over 10,000 homes across the rural landscape of the county. Southfield-based internet service provider 123Net recently received a $30 million federal grant that will go toward constructing open-access broadband service for underserved and unserved areas of Allegan County.

Allendale township online library