Marquette might soon make broadband Internet access available to all households countywide.
The county and state have partnered under the new Digital Divide Investment Program that will use state and federal grant monies to provide low-cost access to high-speed Internet for low- and moderate-income families.
Marquette is one of two counties serving as a program pilot, chosen because it is considered underserved by broadband providers and contains greater concentrations of income-eligible households.
The grants offer a loan to service providers, who must win a bidding process, to establish a network for the coverage area. The provider will then receive another grant to meet expenses, based on network use. The program's scope and cost have not been determined.
—Joe Mahon
