Michigan Signs BEAD Deals With 23 ISPs: Who Is Building and When Rural Homes Get Service

Michigan signed BEAD grant agreements with 23 internet providers on October 21, 2026, the step that lets them start permitting and pre-construction work. The state is putting in $916 million in federal Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment money, and the providers are adding $531 million of their own, to connect nearly 200,000 homes, businesses and community buildings. Once an agreement is signed, a provider has four years to finish, so many rural homes will still be waiting well into the late 2020s.

The 23 Michigan BEAD subgrantees

• 123NET
• Baraga Telephone Company
• Barry County Services
• Brightspeed
• Cherry Capital Connection
• CMS Internet
• DMCI Broadband
• Duke Broadband
• Frontier North
• Great Lakes Energy
• ITC Broadband Operating
• LakeNet
• Michigan Bell Telephone Company (AT&T)
• Midwest Energy & Communications
• Pigeon Telephone Company
• Point Broadband Fiber Holding
• Presque Isle Electric & Gas Co-op
• Southwest Michigan Communications
• Spectrum
• Strategic Management
• Thumb Electric Cooperative
• Upper Peninsula Telephone Company
• Waldron Communication Company

The state expects five more provisionally selected providers to sign soon. The list mixes national companies, local phone companies and electric cooperatives that already serve rural parts of the state.

What happens next

With contracts signed, providers can file permits, finish engineering and order materials before crews start building. The Michigan High-Speed Internet Office says it will share updates as work moves forward at Michigan.gov/WhereIsMyInternet. Actual hookup dates will vary by provider, county and road.

Your options while you wait

For rural homes without wired options, the three satellite choices are Starlink, Viasat and Hughesnet. Starlink’s U.S. residential plans were listed at $55 (100 Mbps), $85 (200 Mbps) and $130 (Max) a month in October 2026. RSINC commits to at least 80 Mbps download for eligible Viasat orders; uploads can reach 3 to 5 Mbps but are not guaranteed. Check the current plan terms for your address. Hughesnet is the most widely available fallback and works anywhere with a clear view of the southern sky.

If you live near the edge of an existing cable or fiber area, check your exact address too, since some providers extend lines on their own before BEAD work reaches you.

How to prepare

• Check Michigan.gov/WhereIsMyInternet for program updates.
• Avoid long contracts on your current service if a wired line may arrive in the next year or two.
• When a provider contacts you about installation, ask about drop fees for long driveways and the monthly price after any promotion.