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Ottawa County signs letter of intent with 123net to pursue BEAD/BEED broadband funding applications
Summary
The committee approved a letter of intent to partner with 123net on BEAD/BEED grant applications to expand fiber and broadband service to underserved households in Ottawa County; staff described the Robin program progress and planning to use a combination of fiber and other technologies.
Ottawa County’s Planning and Policy Committee on March 11 approved forwarding a letter of intent to the Board of Commissioners to partner with 123net and pursue BEAD/BEED grant funding to expand broadband infrastructure in areas identified as underserved.
County staff said the county is already implementing the Robin grant, which will install roughly 250 miles of new fiber and pass about 6,000 households; the BEAD/BEED program offers a larger funding opportunity to reach additional eligible locations. Staff said BEED’s eligibility mapping is more refined and currently identifies about 3,000 households in the county as underserved; the letter of intent asks 123net to pursue geographically focused BEED applications that would extend fiber and other technologies to those locations.
Paul (county staff) said the county and 123net plan multiple applications to maximize awards and that the county will use a mix of technologies — fiber where feasible, fixed wireless where appropriate, and satellite for locations where ground infrastructure is impractical. He said fiber is preferred as “future-proof” infrastructure and that Ottawa County is pursuing an “open access” model in which 123net would manage fiber in the ground but multiple internet service providers could lease capacity.
Representatives from 123net described the Robin project schedule and said they are in design and permitting phases and expect initial construction this summer in targeted cabinet areas to enable customers to be turned up as early as sections of the network are completed. 123net said permitting with the road commission will be a significant part of the work and that the project will be built in smaller chunks to get service to homes sooner.
Commissioners asked about overlap with existing providers, eligibility mapping differences between Robin and BEED, and the state and federal review timelines. County staff said BEED applications are due in early April and that state and federal review processes will take time, with award appropriations contingent on later legislative actions. The committee approved forwarding the letter of intent; staff said they will proceed with applications and return with details on proposed zones, budgets and agreements.
