National and local efforts promise widespread broadband access

Northeast Michigan lacks efficient broadband access, but projects both on a national and local scale aim to change that and spur economic development efforts in the Alpena area. Erik Frederick, chief connectivity officer at the Michigan High Speed Internet Office, is leading the efforts to connect everyone to the internet from city to countryside in Michigan. He is in charge of allocating federal Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) funds to entities around Michigan that will help close the digital divide. Internet access “impacts nearly every sector of our lives,” Frederick said. “It is a foundational tool.”