MARQUETTE, Mich. (WZMQ) – Northern Michigan University has entered an agreement to sell its WiFi network services to improve its reach and signal strength across the Upper Peninsula.
In 2017, NMU launched the Educational Access Network (EAN), expanding it’s broadband internet services past campus, and into the homes of U.P. residents. Over these years, NMU has been able to provide 4G network access to over 115 rural communities.
In 2025, the university began discussions to upgrage both this coverage and speed through a separate holder. NMU Executive Vice President for Finance & Administration Gavin Leach says the change looks towards the long-term benefits of the region.
“The landscape is quite different today than it was in 2017, you have a lot of private providers getting access to federal money and other private capital to be able to grow networks in rural communities,” he explained.
After bidding and searching over the past year, the university decided on Michigan Broadband Services (MBS) to purchase the EAN. On Tuesday morning, the NMU Board of Trustees voted 8-0 in favor of the $21 million transaction.
“It’s one of those few win-win opportunities where we can benefit as well as our communities can,” said Leach. “So [the board] was very supportive of taking that forward.”
The university will use these coming dollars towards its student recruitment, College of Business match grant, as well as a startup scholarship program for communities that allowed NMU to access its towers.
After the favorable decision, the transaction process will now continue onto an FCC approval, which is expected to finalize by November. Northern will hold its current functions on campus through at least the next year, expecting a seamless eventual transfer of ownership and faster internet speeds.
