What used to be a common site in the Manchester area, broadband infrastructure going in, is now an unusual one as most residents of the Manchester area outside of Bridgewater Township now have wire broadband access. Mirror file photo/Pleasant Lake Road, 2024.

by Sara Swanson

Manchester area residents, are you still waiting on access to wired high speed broadband? 

Chris Scharrer, owner of DCS technology, who has been overseeing the broadband project for Washtenaw County recently put out a call of social media, that if you are still waiting, let him know by emailing WashtenawBroadband@outlook.com. He clarified that “wired” includes fiber optic and coax type networks (but not DSL or other old copper type connections). He is especially trying to reach residents who live on private roads and have not heard from any service providers about wired access. 

If you are one of the households in Bridgewater still waiting on Mercury Broadband LLC, you do not need to email in; the county is still working to get Mercury to meet their commitment. In January U.S. Representative, Debbie Dingell sent a letter to Chief Executive Officer of Mercury to try to get an update on the situation but as far as Scharrer knows, there has been no progress. We reached out to Dingell’s office but did not hear back.