MARQUETTE – The Michigan Economic Development Corp. has approved Pasty.net’s Marquette County wireless project and will release the first $1 million to fund installation of the new WIMax broadband wireless communications network in five rural Marquette County townships – Michigamme, Republic, West Branch, Ewing and Wells.
Pasty.Net Founder Charlie Hopper said he’s applied for an extension of the project to retrofit several of his company’s Marquette County
conventional access points with WiMax. The company has already negotiated tower space to provide WiMax-based service in Republic, Michigamme and West Branch townships.
Pasty.Net was one of the first Wi-Fi Internet providers in Michigan,
with service to remote areas of Keweenaw County in 2000 and at the Houghton County Airpark in 2001. The company’s system designer and administrator is Michigan Tech grad Jonathan Hopper, Charlie’s son.
The elder Hooper said The MEDC funding will provide free hook ups for people in the WIMax coverage zones. They each will pay a monthly fee that is much less than Hughes Net satellite high speed network, but provide service much faster than dial-up �?? the two choices for most Internet connections in the Upper Peninsula.
Hopper said the first WIMax installation will involve 513 users in Marquette County, but will probably reach 700 to 800 customers.
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