HOWELL, Mich. (November 9, 2023) – Surf Internet, a leading provider of fiber-optic internet services in the Great Lakes region, is set to transform the digital landscape of Livingston County, Michigan. The company announced that it has secured nearly $17 million in funding through Michigan’s Realizing Opportunity with Broadband Infrastructure Networks (ROBIN) grant program. The funds will be used to connect over 3,600 locations in Livingston County, Mich., to Surf’s existing high-speed fiber-optic network, offering symmetrical speeds of 1 gig for all.
The funding is a significant catalyst for expansion of high-speed internet in the northern and western areas of Livingston County, which are rural unserved and underserved communities. Surf Internet already has significant momentum in growing their fiber network throughout the county, having already installed fiber in Fowlerville, Howell, Iosco Township, and Cohoctah. Surf welcomed new customers with the recent acquisition of MiSignal this past July. Construction is underway in the neighboring towns of Stockbridge, Weberville, and Willamston in Ingham County and will eventually expand to nearly 30,000 households in the region.
“We have long enjoyed working closely with Livingston County and the state of Michigan to help transform the lives of their residents with high-speed internet,” said Surf CEO Gene Crusie. “It’s thrilling to be a part of a group of internet service providers that are collectively going to make huge strides in bridging the digital divide state wide. We are proud to be able to use these funds to connect the most rural, underserved locations in Livingston through continued collaboration.”
Surf Internet was a part of the ROBIN grant program’s first funding round, which awarded funding to 18 projects from 9 applicants. A total of $203 million was awarded, with the winners matching funds of $202 million for a total project investment of $405 million. The ROBIN grant plans to dole out $238 million in project funds to internet service providers and public-private partnerships to expand broadband infrastructure to unserved areas. All told, over 71,000 homes and businesses will receive access to broadband internet with a minimum of 100/100 Mbps service.
“We know that a reliable connection is not a luxury—it’s a necessity for health care, education, employment, entertainment, and so much more,” said Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer. “Let’s keep working together to connect more Michiganders to high-speed internet so we can grow our economy and ensure everyone can ‘make it’ in Michigan.”
The work in Livingston County is part of Surf’s overall commitment to build an advanced fiber-optic network serving rural communities across the Great Lakes Region of Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan. Residents and business owners wanting project updates can visit Surf’s construction page at https://surfinternet.com/surf-fiber-map/. To see if services are currently available for a specific address, visit https://surfinternet.com and click the orange “Check Availability” button.
About Surf Internet
Surf Internet is an innovative fiber-optic internet company that serves as the essential gateway to connectivity across the Great Lakes region of Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan. The company is building a bridge to the wide-open future by delivering high-speed, reliable internet to homes and businesses in underserved, rural communities. Surf’s 170-plus person team is local, giving them an edge when it comes to customer care and advocacy for the region. Headquartered in Elkhart, Ind., Surf also has offices in La Porte, Ind., Byron Center and Fowlerville, Mich., and Coal City and Rock Falls, Ill. Learn more at https://surfinternet.com.
About ROBIN
The ROBIN (Realizing Opportunity with Broadband Infrastructure Networks) grant program is a government initiative designed to facilitate the expansion of broadband infrastructure in underserved and unserved areas across Michigan. Administered by the Michigan High-Speed Internet Office (MIHI), ROBIN provides financial support to internet service providers and public-private partnerships to extend high-speed internet access to communities that lack reliable connectivity. More information at https://www.michigan.gov/leo/bureaus-agencies/mihi/funding-opportunities/robin-grant.