Arpa Highlights - Countywide Broadband
In 2022, The Board opened an initial contract with Graybar/Fujitsu and set aside $7.5 million in ARPA dollars to fund countywide broadband. In 2023, we signed a contract with 123.net to begin work on serving County residents who lacked access to broadband
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Bucket Goal: High-speed internet access remains inconsistent across Ottawa County. The County is working to establish universal access to broadband.
In August 2022, The Board approved $46,964.77 in ARPA Funding to hire GrayBar Inc to commence with pre-engineering of a middle mile broadband infrastructure network, and preparation of a network proforma, for the County's unserved/underserved areas.
In November 2022, The Board set aside $7.5 Million to buidout the Broadband plan.
In December 2023, The Board approved a master agreement and letter of intent with 123Net to utilize state and county dollars to build an open-access, carrier-neutral broadband internet infrastructure. The project is expected to result in nearly 400 miles of new fiber in the county and provide further internet access to nearly 10,000 residents and businesses.
WHO/WHAT: Ottawa County Department of Strategic Impact (DSI)
NEED: There’s no denying high-speed internet is a necessity to conduct the business of modern life. Many of our citizens, however, have reported difficulties with high-speed internet. Residents report they either don’t have access, their access is unreliable, or service is too expensive. These problems have persisted because of inaccurate FCC data that gives national providers and
state and federal regulators the impression broadband service is available across the County. These inaccurate maps have delayed, and in some cases, disqualified the County from qualifying for grants to improve service.
To address this issue, DSI needed better data. Working with community partners, the County conducted a Broadband Data Collection Survey. This survey revealed 10.5% of County households do not have access to fixed (wired or wireless) high-speed internet. Furthermore, 26% of those with fixed broadband access it at speeds slower than the FCC’s minimum broadband threshold.
Armed with the survey data, staff and partners are defining the actions necessary to address gaps in access, affordability, and digital literacy throughout the County. ARPA funds ensure this initiative can quickly close the digital divide so many of our residents and businesses face.
SERVES: All County residents, businesses, the agricultural community, and schools
IMPACT: Momentum is building thanks to ARPA funds. The County hired GrayBar/ Fujitsu, a logistics and data networking leader, to conduct a pre-engineering design for “middle-mile” broadband fiber lines.
The end result will be a documented and executable network model the County can use as a blueprint to achieve improved connectivity. Staff also issued a Request For Information (RFI) to ISPs to formally identify companies that are willing to partner with the County, as well as a Request For Proposal (RFP) to identify tower companies interested in building wireless infrastructure utilizing the middle mile design. Armed with data, as well as partners willing to help build the network, staff will then be able to seek and secure grant funds, and bring in local contributions to deploy the Graybar/Fujitsu network design. If successful, staff are targeting fiscal year 2024 for construction of the necessary “middle mile” infrastructure.
