A Leader for Allegan County’s Broadband Journey
As more communities devise their own broadband solutions, leveraging the upcoming funding from the…
Merit Network Inc. Receives USDA Grant to expand high-speed internet access for rural Michigan
Merit Network Inc. Receives USDA Grant to expand high-speed internet access for rural Michigan Ann…
Paying It Forward in Washtenaw County
As more communities devise their own broadband solutions, leveraging the upcoming funding from the Infrastructure…
The Multiplier: Connecting to Community to Connect to Networks
As more communities devise their own broadband solutions, leveraging the upcoming funding from the Infrastructure…
A Passion for Community Drives Broadband Forward in Holland, Michigan
As more communities devise their own broadband solutions, leveraging the upcoming funding from the Infrastructure…
Residents and Businesses in Macomb, Oakland and Wayne Counties Asked to Participate in Survey on Broadband Internet Access and Speed
Residents and Businesses in Macomb, Oakland and Wayne Counties Asked to Participate in Survey on…
The NTIA Opens A Request For Comment for the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law(BIL) Digital Equity Act
The Biden-Harris Administration is committed to ensuring that all Americans have access to affordable, reliable,…
Digital Opportunities Compass: Metrics to Monitor, Evaluate, and Guide Broadband and Digital Equity Policy
The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), which includes the Digital Equity Act of 2021…
My Experiences Supporting Indigenous Internet Bootstrapping Efforts
by Bob Stovall Merit Network A great deal of Indian Country often lacks internet access,…
Digital Divide Estimates Rarely Account for Its Ripple Effect on Communities
By Francella Ochillo In regions where the digital divide is prevalent, the impact spreads far…
Kent County Asks Residents and Businesses to Participate in Survey on Broadband Internet Access and Speed
Better Data Will Inform Decisions for Improving Service in County Kent County, MI. - Kent…
Lapeer County Asks Residents and Businesses to Participate in Survey on Broadband Internet Access and Speed
Better Data Will Inform Decisions for Improving Service in County Lapeer County, MI. - Lapeer…
Finally, Incorporating Local Insights Into State Planning Is a Requirement for Federal Dollars
By Francella Ochillo TL;DR: Unlike previous federal grant programs that expanded access to high-speed Internet,…
Eastern Upper Peninsula Asks Residents and Businesses to Participate in Survey on Broadband Internet Access and Speed
Better Data Will Inform Decisions for Improving Service in County Eastern Upper Peninsula, MI. -…
Letter from the President: Michigan Moonshot’s Upper Peninsula Origins
Merit’s Michigan Moonshot broadband initiative is certainly not a typical activity for a Research &…
$10.5MM FEDERAL GRANT AWARDED TO MSU AND MERIT NETWORK TO DELIVER STATEWIDE BROADBAND INFRASTRUCTURE
Project to create Michigan Open Optical Network - Leveraging Innovation to Get High-Speed Technology (MOON-Light)…
ARPA Funding Introduces New Possibilities for Broadband Planning
By Francella Ochillo Michigan is known for its shorelines, world-class manufacturing and picturesque landscapes. For…
Final Rule Expands Use of ARPA Funds for Broadband
The U.S. Department of the Treasury has released the Final Rule for the State and…
Quello Center and Community Partners Recognized with 2022 MSU Distinguished Partnership Award
Merit Network Proud to be Among Partners Honored The Quello Center's Johannes M. Bauer and…
Benzie County Needs Resident Survey Participation to Assist in Broadband Internet Expansion Efforts
Benzie County, MI. - Benzie County has been discussing the need for broadband expansion since…
Washtenaw County Broadband Connectivity Journey
In early 2020, the Washtenaw County Broadband Task Force collaborated with Merit Network on a…
Get Ready: $1T Infrastructure Bill in Washington Set to Send Billions to Communities
Quick Facts: Infrastructure bill proposes $42.5B for broadband deployment Additional provisions address digital equity Communities…
4 Ways Michigan Nonprofits Can Help Their Communities Get Connected to Opportunities Online
Currently, Michiganders all over the state are struggling to get online and stay connected, with…
Merit Network’s Charlotte Bewersdorff Wins Internet2’s Rose-Werle Award
Charlotte Bewersdorff, Merit’s VP for Community Engagement, is the recipient of Internet2’s esteemed Rose-Werle Award…
Planning a Fiber Network with Challenger
Meet Challenger. Challenger is a privately held telecommunications contractor based out of Jackson, MI that…
Berrien County Needs Resident Survey Participation to Assist in Broadband Internet Expansion Efforts
BERRIEN COUNTY, MI. - In establishing their Operational Objectives for 2019-2020, the Berrien County Board…
The Michigan Moonshot Partners with Toyota and Cisco to Expand Wi-Fi Access in Detroit, Inkster, Flint and Washtenaw County, Michigan
Free Wi-Fi Added at 50 Public Sites ANN ARBOR, Mich. November 23, 2020 -…
The Michigan Moonshot Initiative Earns Merit Network the 2020 National Organization of the Year Award
On September 22nd, Merit’s vice president for community engagement, Charlotte Bewersdorff accepted the 2020 National…
Wayne State University, Merit Network partner for Michigan Moonshot broadband planning and expansion efforts
Wayne State University, Merit Network partner for Michigan Moonshot broadband planning and expansion efforts DETROIT –…
Bringing Broadband to Michigan: An Interview with Charlotte Bewersdorff & Ben Fineman on Propelling Michigan Broadband Connectivity Forward
At least 380,000 homes in rural Michigan do not have access to broadband. Existing depictions…
Joint Letter to Congress on Broadband in Stimulus Bills
Merit Network, Inc. Joins 217 Groups Urging Congress to Support Affordable Broadband Access in Stimulus…
Hundreds of thousands of Michigan students lack internet or computer
At a time when the state's K-12 students are displaced from school buildings during the…
Tech Tuesday: Washtenaw County Broadband Task Force
Tech Tuesday featuring Barb Fuller, Chair, Washtenaw County Broadband Equity Task Force; Shannon Beeman, Washtenaw…
Washtenaw County Needs Resident Survey Participation to Seek Grant Funding for Broadband
The Washtenaw County Broadband Task Force is requesting that Washtenaw County residents participate in a…
Manchester area residents asked to take broadband survey to correct inaccurate FCC map
Manchester area residents living in Manchester, Freedom, Sharon and Bridgewater Townships are being asked to…
What is your internet access like? Washtenaw County wants to know
Washtenaw County officials are seeking survey responses from residents in 14 townships about their internet…
“Michigan Moonshot” seeks to reduce rural academic disparity by expanding broadband access
More than 380,000 Michigan households with K-12 students lack access to broadband internet. That's according…
FCC orders ISPs to supply accurate broadband coverage maps
Internet service providers will have to provide the Federal Communications Commission with detailed geospatial maps of…
Pai: FCC Must Crowdsource Broadband Map
The FCC wants to crowdsource its often-criticized map of broadband availability across the US to…
The Homework Gap
There are numerous studies and also mountains of anecdotal evidence from teachers that students without…
Digital Damnation
Featured in photo (from left to right): Joe Sawasky, Dr. Johannes Bauer, Lt. Gov. Garlin…
Read URC Michigan’s 11th Annual Economic Impact Report
URC Michigan released their 11th Annual Economic Impact Report Read the Report
Digital Inclusion: #FixTheDamnInternet for Michigan Students
An estimated 27% of students lack access to broadband in their homes. To spur discussion…
Want Next Generation Precision Agriculture? You’ll Need Rural Broadband.
The USDA has been investing in rural telecommunications infrastructure for decades. But approximately 80 percent…
Merit Member Conference 2019 Presents a Trio of Awards to Michigan Community Driven Leaders
On May 8th and 9th, the Merit Member Conference, Voyage to the Future, offered informative…
Breaking Down The Digital Divide For Michigan’s Students
More than 360,000 homes in Michigan and 27% of K-12 students lack access to broadband…
WHY DOES SO MUCH OF MICHIGAN LACK BROADBAND INTERNET ACCESS?
Like many states, much of Michigan lacks access to broadband internet. Research and Education Networks…
Want Next Generation Precision Agriculture? You’ll Need Rural Broadband.
The USDA has been investing in rural telecommunications infrastructure for decades. But approximately 80 percent of the…
Many educational technology vendors take broadband access as a given in modern classrooms. Will this assumption help build increasing demand for high-speed connectivity?
Once again this March, the South by Southwest organization held its four-day conference on all…
The companies responsible for delivering access to information in rural America are blocking access to information.
Last week was a big one for rural broadband. On Tuesday, the nearly trillion-dollar farm…
Want Next Generation Precision Agriculture? You’ll Need Rural Broadband.
On April 30, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) unveiled A Case for Rural Broadband: Insights…
Improvements to Broadband Availability Map
NTIA announced on February 12 that it was partnering with eight geographically diverse states to…
NTIA American Broadband Initiatives Milestone Report
NTIA released its American Broadband Initiatives milestone report in February which focuses on strategies for…
Senator Murray introduces the “Digital Equity Act of 2019”
Senator Murray (D-WA) introduced the “Digital Equity Act of 2019” to help close the digital…
Group evaluates broadband connectivity for students through surveys
Read UpNorthLive's article about Merit's Moonshot program. Read More
School Districts Chosen to Pilot Michigan Moonshot Data Collection Project
School Districts Chosen to Pilot Michigan Moonshot Data Collection Project ANN ARBOR, MI. April 24,…
Microsoft Says the FCC ‘Overstates’ Broadband Availability in the US
You can’t fix a problem you don’t understand, and America has no idea just how…
Speedtest Comparison: Ookla, NDT, NetFlix, HTML, iPerf
If you have a few years’ experience in network troubleshooting, you know that when you…
Read the American Broadband Initiative February Milestones Report
This report outlines a vision for how the Federal Government can increase broadband access and…
Getting broadband to the ‘last mile’ a goal with no clear path
People broadly support the concept of “last mile” internet connections, which would help digital have-nots…
NTIA Partners with 8 States on Improvements to Broadband Availability Map
The NTIA is collaborating with 8 states to improve broadband access maps and help policy…
Michigan Lame Duck Legislature: Lip Service on Rural Broadband Investment
“Big cable and telecom lobbyists managed to locate a legislative vehicle for the components of…
The Government is Using the Wrong Data to Make Crucial Decisions About the Internet
The U.S. government is currently using inaccurate broadband data to make crucial decisions about internet…
We Need a National Rural Broadband Plan
A federal rural telecommunications access plan is needed to address the underserved rural communities lacking…
Access to high-speed internet in America is leading to a digital divide
Michigan’s digital divide affects more than 360,000 homes, leading to socioeconomic barriers that limit opportunities…
The Michigan Moonshot: Expanding Community Networks in Rural Michigan
By Joe Sawasky Why does so much of Michigan lack broadband internet access? Access…