Van Buren County Broadband Update: Closing the Gap on the Final Connections

Van Buren County remains committed to its goal of ensuring every resident has access to high-speed broadband internet. While the County has made significant progress over the last few years—reaching nearly all residents with cabled fiber connections—we recognize that for those still waiting, “almost done” is not good enough.

We hear the frustrations of residents in unserved pockets, particularly in Geneva and Lawrence Townships and the South Haven area. The County Board of Commissioners wants to be transparent about the current setbacks and the specific actions we are taking to resolve them.

What is causing the delays? Three specific issues are stalling the final phase of construction:

• Permitting Delays in South Haven: Comcast projects funded by the County’s ARPA funds have been delayed due to complex permitting issues with the South Haven Electric Department (SHED).
• Contractor Defaults (Mercury Broadband): In Lawrence Township, Mercury Broadband defaulted on their federal obligations to cover roughly 320 locations. In Geneva Township, the provider has been resistant to providing a clear completion timeline.
• Federal Funding Map Issues: The new federal BEAD program has tentatively awarded some areas to satellite providers rather than fiber and has erroneously listed some unserved homes as “served”.

What is the County doing? We are actively intervening to clear these hurdles:

1. Escalating to Federal Representatives: We have escalated our concerns regarding Mercury Broadband to our state and U.S. representatives to demand accountability for the delays in Geneva Township.
2. Expediting Permits: County leadership is engaging directly with South Haven Electric leadership to expedite the permitting process for Comcast so construction can resume immediately.
3. Securing New Funding: For the locations Mercury dropped in Lawrence Township, we are working to ensure they are included in the upcoming BEAD state grant program to secure a new provider.
4. Validating Quality: We are reviewing all tentative federal awards. While satellite service (like Starlink) is being offered in some areas, our goal remains a wired fiber connection for every home. We will validate these awards to ensure residents aren’t forced into lesser service if fiber is viable.

Work with our partners is ongoing and funded through December 2026. We will not stop advocating until the job is done.