The Michigan High-Speed Internet Office (MIHI) was established in June 2021 to eliminate the digital divide in Michigan by ensuring every home and business can access high-speed internet services that meet their needs. Achieving this goal requires a multi-faceted approach, including developing the necessary infrastructure to bring high-speed internet service to each home and business in our state, assisting those who otherwise could not afford service, and ensuring resources to improve digital skills are available to all.

The digital divide is the gap between those who have reliable access to high-speed internet, devices and digital skills and those who do not. By eliminating this divide, all Michiganders can fully participate in education, employment, healthcare and the digital economy.

More than 212,000 households in our state lack the opportunity to access a high-speed internet connection and another additional 865,000 households face barriers related to affordability, adoption, or digital literacy. Taken together, this means that approximately 31% of Michigan households do not have an affordable, reliable, high-speed internet connection that meets their needs. MIHI is working hard to solve this problem.

The consequences of being unconnected or under-connected are measurable:

• Students with high-speed, home internet access have an overall grade point average of 3.18. This is significantly higher than the average 2.81 GPA for students with no home access and 2.75 average for students with only cell phone access.
• Increased access to the internet can help address issues of isolation among older adults. Studies have shown that isolation is associated with worse health outcomes and even premature death among adults age 50 and over.
• Effective use of telemedicine can reduce hospitalizations of nursing home patients and reduce health care costs.
• Small businesses that have websites have higher annual revenues and are more likely to have recently hired one or more employees than similar businesses that aren't online. Those that use social media weekly are three times more likely to have hired recently than those that don't.
• Farmers who gain high-speed internet access experience an average 6% increase in farm revenue.
• Having a home broadband connection gives households an estimated economic impact of $1,850 per year.

Executive Directive 2021-12 has ensured that Michigan is poised to make effective use of the once-in-a-generation resources that are being made available through the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Plan.  MIHI administers grant programs such as ROBIN and BEAD to ensure that broadband resources are being utilized in the most effective and efficient manner possible for Michiganders.

Our work prioritizes collaboration within and among other state agencies and departments related to high-speed internet access. The Michigan High Speed Internet office is often called upon to take the lead within state government for all broadband related issues.