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County broadband manager: 8,000 previously unserved homes reached; BEAD uncertainty and affordability concerns remain
Summary
Washtenaw County broadband project manager gave commissioners a map-based progress report showing most ARPA-funded builds nearing completion, MEC ~90% complete, and remaining areas dependent on federal BEAD funding following defaults by one RDOF winner; commissioners raised affordability and rate-regulation concerns.
Chris Schar, Washtenaw County’s broadband project manager, told commissioners the county-wide broadband tracker now shows substantial progress toward connecting previously unserved parcels across the county and highlighted remaining technical and funding issues.
Schar said the county’s mapping tracks 135,000 parcels; about 8,000 homes that previously lacked broadband access have been served during the program. Washington Fiber Properties has completed its small build; Midwest Energy Cooperative (MEC) has passed approximately 4,400 homes and is about 90% complete in its ARPA-funded build, Schar said. MEC crews are continuing activations in areas where construction is complete but final power/cabinet hookups remain. Charter and Comcast are building in franchise areas; Comcast is about 70% complete on its ARPA scope, while some Charter work…
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