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MEC says take‑rates are rising and construction should finish by end of Q2 2026; Hagar zone lags
Summary
Midwest Energy & Communications told the Berrien County Broadband Internet Task Force that customer sign‑ups are increasing across completed zones and that county construction is expected to finish by the end of the second quarter of 2026; outreach will be stepped up in the Hagar zone after lower than expected sign‑ups.
Midwest Energy & Communications (MEC) told the Berrien County Broadband Internet Task Force on March 5, 2026, that take‑rates are rising in each completed service zone and that overall construction in Berrien County is expected to be finished by the end of the second quarter of 2026.
Jennifer Gilliam, MEC’s business development manager, said that while most zones have seen steady subscription growth, sign‑ups in the Hagar zone have been lower than anticipated. MEC is planning additional outreach, including an open house and door‑tag drops, to raise participation. Gilliam also noted that winter construction schedules may shift depending on weather and that the company will continue local outreach to improve adoption in slower areas.
The Task Force also discussed administrative details of the rollout: Gilliam confirmed MEC’s billing is current and said the first‑quarter invoice processing and billing will occur on April 10, 2026. She agreed to provide county staff with address‑level reports formatted for treasury submission, including address, location ID and latitude/longitude for locations now served with high‑speed internet, to document compliance with broadband construction grant terms.
The Task Force will review progress at its next meeting on April 2, 2026. This update places the county’s MEC rollout on a timeline to complete physical construction by the end of Q2 2026, subject to weather and sign‑up rates.
