High Speed Internet Installation Update – March 2025

Hello and Happy Spring!  Please see below the exciting news from Yvonne Clark, Watersmeet Supervisor, regarding High Speed Internet.  Many of you have already added your address to the Michigan Broadband database, but if you have not, there is still time to show interest. This does not obligate you to sign up for service.  

The MLRA Board will continue to update you on the progress as we hear it.

Regards,
MLRA Board.

Good Morning,

As you know we have been working with Michigan Broadband to bring high speed internet service to the southeastern portion of the Township.  In November we asked folks to show their interest in high-speed internet by accessing the Michigan Broadband website.  Since that time, I have been requesting updates from Michigan Broadband as to when the build out will begin.

Just this morning I received an email from Phil Truran, President of Michigan Broadband stating : “Here are the people who submitted for service. The shaded area is what we are building in 2025.”  I’ve attached the map he sent me.  As you can see – it appears that Duck Lake, Moon Lake, and Dinner Lake are included!!!

I am waiting on Michigan Broadband to provide me with a flyer to post on our Township website and to do an email blast.  In the meantime, I wanted to get the news out to you as soon as possible in case you would like to let your lake association members know.  If anyone hasn’t signed up for Michigan Broadband yet – they may do so by accessing the Michigan Broadband website at www.michbbs.com.  Scroll down to the bottom of the home page and there is a block to “Search Your Address”.   

If you have any questions – please feel free to give me a call.

Yvonne Clark
Supervisor
Office:  906-358-4501
Cell:  906-477-3029

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Register for High Speed Internet

Town trustee, Yvonne Clark, reached out to the MLRA concerning the ongoing need for high speed Internet in our area (Yvonne’s message can be found below the “Steps” section below).  Yvonne is requesting that Moon Lake property owners now contact Michigan Broadband via their website and enter your address to express interest in receiving high speed Internet.

IMPORTANT– This is our best chance to get high speed internet on Moon Lake. Please take some time and add your address. Even if you don’t think you will want it right now adding your address will help to give yourself the option in the future.

Steps:

  1. Go to www.michbbs.com
  2. Scroll down to bottom until you see Search Your Address
  3. Enter your Lake address (not a PO Box) and all required information
  4. You should receive a message that says Service is not currently available
  5. Enter additional required information

That’s it- you should receive an email from Michigan Broadband saying they received your information. Hopefully if enough people show interest they will consider bringing high speed internet to our area in the near future.

Full Message from Yvonne Clark

From Watersmeet Township:

To:  Property Owners in the southeastern portion of Watersmeet Township (Duck Lake, Dinner Lake, Moon Lake, Crystal Lake, Birch Lake, Lac Vieux Desert (Michigan side) general areas):

As promised, your Watersmeet Broadband Task Force has been pursuing leads to get high-speed, reliable internet to the southeastern portion of the Township that was left off the FCC map and unable to obtain Highline internet service.  And we have news to report:

On Wednesday, October 30, 2024, Phil Turan, the President of Michigan Broadband, returned Trustee Yvonne Clark’s calls with an update!  Here’s what we learned:

Unfortunately (and obviously at this point) he said that Michigan Broadband will not be bringing fiber optic internet to the southeastern portion of the Township this year.  But – he is working on the plans for next year right now.  We asked what we can do to help and/or to get service out to this area of the Township sooner rather than later.  He said if we could spread the word to have homeowners go to the Michigan Broadband website and put in their address, then the company can see what type of interest there is and approximately how many folks are looking for service.  This is exciting news!!!

What can you do?
If you are interested in high-speed fiber optic internet and own property in the southeastern portion of Watersmeet that was not covered by Highline – please access the Michigan Broadband website at www.michbbs.com.  Scroll down to the bottom of the home page and there is a block to “Search Your Address”.  Simply fill in your fire number address and it will likely say that service is unavailable.  However, Mr. Turan told us that the company actively reviews the info to determine how much interest there is in a given area.  The more folks we have inputting addresses in the southern portion of the Township, the quicker Michigan Broadband will hopefully act on it!  This is not merely wishful thinking – the Task Force used a similar strategy to influence Highline to make Watersmeet one of the very first townships in the western U.P. to receive its fiber optic service.  If it worked once, it could work again!

If you currently have broadband internet service through Michigan Broadband, please understand that it is currently not Fiber Optic, utilizes outdated technology and is likely slow.    Fiber Optic technology has not yet been installed in your areas (Duck, Dinner lakes etc…).  We are working directly with Michigan Broadband to bring NEW High-Speed Fiber Optic internet to your location.  It is important to express your interest in Fiber Optic internet for Michigan Broadband to understand customer demand and prioritize Watersmeet Township in their planning for 2025.

Please spread the word to your friends and neighbors!

Please let Trustee Yvonne Clark or Trustee John Oliver know if you have any questions.

Thanks for your help!

Watersmeet Broadband Task Force

Yvonne Clark, Trustee

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