July 9, 2010
On July 16, 2010, Houghton Lake Public Library will host a community meeting with Merit Network, Inc. to provide an introduction to the Houghton Lake Community on the Merit’s Round I Broadband Stimulus Project, REACH-3MC. In January, Merit Network was awarded a $33.3 million grant from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), through the NTIA’s Broadband Initiative to build 1,017 miles of fiber-optic network to un-served and underserved areas of Michigan.
The route for REACH-3MC will bring this fiber build to the Houghton Lake area. On July 16, representatives from Merit Network will introduce the plans for this project and answer questions on how the community can take advantage of this high-speed network.
There is an opportunity to hear about the REACH 3MC project at a meeting being hosted by Houghton Lake Public Library, 4431 W. Houghton Lake Drive, Houghton Lake, Michigan. The meeting will be held on July 16 at 10:00 a.m. and is open to the public.
About Merit Network
Merit Network Inc., is a nonprofit corporation owned and governed by Michigan’s public universities. Merit owns and operates America’s longest-running regional research and education network. In 1966, Michigan’s public universities created Merit as a shared resource to help meet their common need for networking assistance. Since its formation, Merit Network has remained at the forefront of research and education networking expertise and services. Merit provides high-performance networking and IT solutions to Michigan’s public universities, colleges, K-12 organizations, libraries, state government, healthcare, and other non-profit organizations.
For more information: www.merit.edu
About REACH-3MC
The REACH Michigan Middle Mile Collaborative (REACH-3MC) will build 2,287 miles of open-access, advanced fiber-optic network through rural and underserved communities in Michigan’s Lower and Upper Peninsulas. The network will also provide backhaul to key connection points in Wisconsin and Minnesota. Led by Merit Network, Michigan’s research and education network, REACH-3MC includes sub-recipients from the private sector to make broadband readily available to households and businesses that lack adequate service options in the 52 counties that make up the project service area. REACH-3MC is funded by a two grants (Round I and Round II) from the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), commonly referenced as the Stimulus Package.
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