6/3/21 – Gov. Whitmer establishes office for high-speed internet

Monday, June 7, 2021 at 11:00 AM

Governor Whtimer plans to improve Internet access especially for rural communities.

(Mlive) – Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Wednesday announced the creation of the new Michigan High-Speed Internet Office, which will aim to expand access to reliable, high-speed internet connections across the state. The announcement comes after more than a year of some Michiganders working or attending school remotely due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The announcement comes after more than a year of some Michiganders working or attending school remotely due to the coronavirus pandemic.

“COVID-19 has only confirmed how the lack of high-speed internet access can cause too many Michiganders to struggle in their ability to engage in online learning, to use telemedicine to seek needed healthcare, to search for a new job or to take advantage of all the online resources,” Whitmer said in a press release.

“A fully connected Michigan is essential for our state to reach its economic potential in the 21st century global economy.”

Under a directive signed by the governor that creates the office, it is formed under the Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity. It will include a Chief Connectivity Officer.

An estimated 381,000 households in Michigan don’t have access to fixed broadband internet, defined as a connection with download speeds of 25 megabits per second and upload speeds of at least 3 megabits per second by the Federal Communications Commission.

The Whitmer administration estimates 865,000 households are not connected due to other barriers, like the cost of an internet subscription, cost of a device, or lack of digital skills.

“There is bipartisan consensus that we need to close gaps in internet access and adoption. This is our generational opportunity to leverage the tremendous resources that are being made available at the federal level to develop the innovative partnerships that will achieve the goal of getting every home and business the high-speed connection they need.”

Whitmer previously formed a task force to work across state departments on internet connectivity efforts and also signed a grant program into law.

Whitmer also recently vetoed a bill that would have created a tax exemption for some broadband equipment.

6/3/21 – Gov. Whitmer establishes office for high-speed internet

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