WiMAX Internet Service coming to Leelanau & Traverse City area

Photo by David BeeryThe Record-Eagle reports that Saginaw-based SpeedNet, Michigan’s largest wireless broadband provider, received a $5.6 million loan from the Michigan Broadband Development Authority to expand its service network in northern and central Michigan and to purchase Wireless First, an Internet service company in Traverse City. Leelanau County is among the areas that will receive new WiMAX antennas in the next year or two. WiMAX has a non-line-of-sight range up to 30 miles, is considered especially effective in rural, hilly areas and operates at speeds 100 times faster than a dial-up modem.

Read High-speed WiMAX wireless coming in the Traverse City Record-Eagle and/or visit the SpeedNet web site.

Photo Credit: David Beery 

6 replies
  1. leelanau2010
    leelanau2010 says:

    This is a BADLY needed service in Leelanau since our cable provider Charter is unable (unwilling) to expand their services here to provide cable internet and our phone provider (CenturyTel) is still operating in the 19th century with snail paced DSL. Finally a company that will come into a rural area and give those big dogs a run for their money. You can bet I’ll be signing up as soon as it’s available.

  2. Bob Simmerman
    Bob Simmerman says:

    Unfortunately, I need a tower nearly 100 feet tall to get any sort of WiFi, and even then I have my doubts. Luckily, I get DSL and though it is fairly slow–1.5 MBps–it is still a LOT faster than dialup. Yeah, Charter really could care less, we don’t have Charter TV, or internet just south of Lake Ann, and I don’t think we will ever get it. I hope and pray that the new technology of Bonded DSL Rings (BDR) will be used by Centurytel in the near future to provide a HDTV solution for us rural folks. Right now, I can get NBC, ABC, and FOX HD stations with an antenna, but CBS is out of the question. I have DirecTV…but it cannot get a line of sight due to neighbor trees!!

    Sort of tired of not being able to get modern day ‘stuff’ due to living out of town.

  3. Bob Simmerman
    Bob Simmerman says:

    This says a ‘non line of sight’ internet???? Interesting for WiFi. When I got a sight assessment, the company had not become the WiMAX provider, so maybe things have changed….??? I had it checked in 2006.

  4. Andy DuPont
    Andy DuPont says:

    I’m using Centurytel 1.5Mbps down / 256Kbps up. Download is very inconsistent lately, and a CT technician verified that the issue is upstream of their facility in Cedar, MI. I’m often getting download speeds half of the rate I should.

    I would also be interested in a reliable provider that could deliver 1.5Mbps or hopefully higher.

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