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Benzie County - Internet for All

Benzie County has partnered with Cherry Capital Communication to expand broadband in Benzie, a project being referred to as "Internet for All, Benzie County." The model being used for this project is an open access network model, which allows local internet providers to utilize the same infrastructure as Cherry Capital Communication, providing choice to our community and competition in the market.  For further details, refer to our website at https://www.benzieco.net/news_detail_T2_R47.php. 

 

You may have already heard from a Commissioner representative, but if you haven't, Benzie County and Cherry Capital Communication are seeking letters of support for the ROBIN Grant application to expand the project further than the $5.25 million it is projected to cost. By doing so, we can expect to deploy fiber internet to more than 2000 households in Benzie!  

The next step is applying for state funding under the ROBIN program.  With ROBIN funding "Internet for All - Benzie County can reach even more households.  We are looking for your letters of support. ROBIN details here.  

To let CCC know you are interested in getting connected to this Open Access infrastructure, Please print, complete, and sign the petition.  Then mail to benzie@cccfiber.com.  You can do this electronically at electronic form

Details of the agreement

Agreemet - Benzie County

The intended service location is defined as unserved and underserved is described as households with at least one of the following characteristics:

  1. Lacking 100Mbps x 20Mbps highspeed internet access,

  2. With school age children with inadequate broadband,

  3. That are economically at-risk, or

  4. Eligible for Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP).

 

The priority will be to build and connect the unserved, underserved, households with school-aged children with inadequate broadband and households that are economically at risk.

 

The initial project:

  1. Would provide connectivity while working on the ROBIN application

  2. Can be completed within ARPA timeline

  3. Would reduce the CCC consumer participation rate to $500,

  4. Meet the Michigan Highspeed Internet (MIHI) office goal of providing a minimum of 100 symmetrical service to all connected households,

  5. Address the needs of 1,875 intended service locations.

  6. Demonstrate to ROBIN the

    1. readiness to build, operate, and maintain the project,

    2. Long-term project viability,

    3. Network scalability, and

    4. Demonstrate community support.​

 

The resulting network will be an open access network that will encourage multiple providers to use the same infrastructure to service the anticipated connected consumers.  Open access provides consumer choice in who their last mile provider is for a wide range of services, such as transport, internet, and telephone.  “Open Access” shall be the “wholesale model” described more particularly in Attachment F to this Agreement, and defines the technical flow between CCC and participating service providers. 

Reporting

County administration has established a quarterly timeline associated with Outreach, Quality, Construction, and Connection. 

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Estimated timeline Jan 2023 through Dec 2023

  • Identify unserved and underserved households

  • Define specific routes based on unserved and unserved households

  • Establish up to 4 fiber distribution centers (huts or roadside centers)

  • Within 6 – 8 months of signed contract start connecting customers

  • Report progress of homes passed and connected through FCC BDC reporting

    • Twice annually (as of Dec 31, as of June 30)

  • Reach out to each township and village

  • Reach out to stakeholders

  • Work with county, townships, and villages to create public awareness

  • Invite Service Providers to participate in wholesale model

 

Estimated timeline           Jan 2024 through Dec 2026

  • Continue to Identify unserved and underserved households

  • Adjust specific routes based on unserved and unserved households

  • Review needs for additional distribution centers

  • Within 6 – 8 months of signed contract start connecting customers

  • Report progress of homes passed and connected through FCC BDC reporting

    • Twice annually (as of Dec 31, as of June 30)

  • Reach out to each township and village.

  • Reach out to stakeholders.

  • Work with county, townships, and villages to create public awareness.

  • Invite Service Providers to participate in wholesale model

 

Construction goals each year assuming 4 years to complete.  Efforts will be applied to reduce total time to completion as additional data is obtained.  Each year goals:

  • Houses passed: 450-500

  • Miles of fiber: 23-32

  • Houses connected: 60%

ROBIN - Benzie County

ROBIN Details

The project will be completed within ARPA timeline, meeting the Michigan High-speed Internet (MIHI) office goal of providing a minimum of 100Mbps symmetrical service, and a maximum service of 10Gbps to all connected service locations. The project will utilize existing fiber infrastructure such as the NextGen 911, REACH3MC, and AT&T  middle mile networks, where feasible to quickly enable delivery of service to the last mile consumer.

​

The intended service location is defined as unserved and underserved as households lacking 100Mbps downstream by 20Mbps upstream high-speed internet access. There is an urgency to connect those lacking service with at least one of the following characteristics: households with school age children, are economically at-risk, or eligible for the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP).  Accordingly, priority will be to build and connect the unserved, underserved households with school-aged children and households that are economically at risk.

​

The resulting network will be an open access network that will encourage multiple providers to use the same infrastructure to service the anticipated connected consumers. Open access provides consumer choice in who their last mile provider is for a wide range of services, such as transport, internet, and telephone. Local service providers Eclipse Communications and Peninsula Fiber Network have signed an agreement to participate. Additional service providers  Acentek and 186 Networks will be invited to participate. 

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Grow Benzie, a local facilitator with extensive relationships with local organizations, has been engaged to focus on community wide digital and other skillsets development, and awareness.

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The blue and yellow areas may contain unserved or underserved households, however are not eligible for ROBIN funding.  Blue and green dots represent 1,524 households that have been identified as eligible for funding.  There are over 3,400 households that the state is unclear as to the status of the internet service. These locations are being evaluated.

 

 The possible ROBIN application area would include the green and blue dots.

ROBIN-Benzie County.JPG

Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP)

ACP - Benzie

A household is eligible for the Affordable Connectivity Program if the household income is at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines, or if a member of the household meets at least one of the criteria below:

  • Received a Federal Pell Grant during the current award year;

  • Meets the eligibility criteria for a participating provider's existing low-income internet program;

  • Participates in one of these assistance programs:

    • The National School Lunch Program or the School Breakfast Program, including through the USDA Community Eligibility Provision;

    • SNAP

    • Medicaid

    • Federal Public Housing Assistance

    • Supplemental Security Income (SSI)

    • WIC

    • Veterans Pension or Survivor Benefits

    • or Lifeline;

  • Participates in one of these assistance programs and lives on Qualifying Tribal lands:

    • Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance 

    • Tribal TANF

    • Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations

    • Tribal Head Start (income based)

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