It is no coincidence that many people talk about the “American Dream”. No one knows exactly what it is, but in fact the United States is a country where almost everything is possible. In this particular case, a citizen of Michigan, dissatisfied with the Internet services of his operator, decided to create an Internet supply service himself. Today he competes with operators, but … his success is beyond imagination.

Jared Moh built a fiber internet service because he didn’t have good broadband from AT&T or Comcast. Now, instead of just having his neighbors as clients, he has a network of over 70 homes and will soon reach 600.

Internet: No one wants to invest in the countryside and hinterland
The pandemic has brought a new reality where you can work from home without losing productivity.  However, it was this measure that showed many of the shortcomings of the Internet service that every home, as well as in companies, has.  After the pandemic, many of these habits seem to have disappeared and we will still need a fast computer and a good internet connection.
While most urban areas today already have this quality of service provided by a variety of telecom operators, the reality is quite different in inland and rural areas.
Mauch, Akamai's network architect, is well aware of this situation. Ars Technique.  For two decades man lived in The town of Schio, a small town in Michigan, USA.  In 2002, he contracted for a cable connection that was the fastest at the time (in the area) at 1.5 Mbps.  However, over time, Jared needed something fast and decided to switch to a wireless provider that offered 50 Mbps, although he would have preferred a physical connection.


If you don't like your carrier...compete with it
At the time, and given the area where he lived, the man didn't have much of a choice.  He then tried to contact the US telecommunications giant Comcast.  Jared asked the company if there was a chance that his place (more precisely, his place of residence) would get a fiber optic network for fast service, as he needed.  Comcast said it was possible, but there was a price to pay for it.  To do this, he would have to pay a special one-time fee, since the company had to create the infrastructure to bring the network to him.
When asked about the cost, the answer was not very encouraging, the cost was around $50,000.  So, 6 years ago, that would have been the amount you had to pay, but Jared Moh thought it was too much.
He also approached AT&T, the country's other major carrier, but the offered connection was only 1.5 Mbps.  Faced with such a scenario, the man began to seriously consider buying a direct connection to a provider of this type of service, but more focused on a large company in Michigan, Advanced Communications & Data (ACD).
Of course, the price was very high, especially since ACD did not have a deployed fiber optic network in rural areas.  However, what was a problem quickly became an opportunity.
It was then that Mauch had the idea to hire this supplier and build his own network.  So, in addition to serving yourself, you could sell connections to your neighbors to recoup your investment and even make a profit.  However, this meant simply creating your own ISP (Internet Server Provider) service.  As usual, this involved a lot of legal and administrative bureaucracy.


From dream to reality... and for many rural residents there will be fast internet
The idea was realized, and the American, increasingly dissatisfied with Comcast, AT&T (as well as other suppliers who were also contacted) decided to get to work.  Basically, she worked out all the necessary and legal processes, and, after a while, became a technical competitor of these companies in this area.
Jared Mouch established Washtenaw Fiber Properties LLC to comply with local government regulations.  She began to develop her own fiber optic network across the entire length and breadth of the area, where, as mentioned above, she lived for twenty years.
After a $145,000 investment, ISP Mauch added 30 customers in 2021 and now has over 70. Service charges are $65 per month for symmetrical 50Mbps, $75 for 250Mbps, and $99 for 500 Mbps.  In all cases, installation requires $599, although the original installation price was $199.
Nowadays, as we have seen, these outlying residents have begun to rely on other technologies such as starlink.  So Scio Township residents can now make this option despite SpaceX's performance being inferior and more expensive.
As you know, the Starlink network offers connections from all over the world. 150 Mbps for a monthly fee of $99 and installation kit for $499.

At present, the plans of the American are acquiring an unimaginable scope.  City Council, thanks to federal funds, funds part of the expansion from Washtenaw Fiber Properties LLC.  In doing so, the company will expand its services to 417 locations, including neighboring rural areas, opening doors to potential new customers.
With this support, Mauch will be able (and should, as required by a government contract) to offer 100Mbps symmetrical connectivity for $55/month and 1Gb/s for $79/month.  In addition, the installation price will return to its roots, that is, it will be $199.
The man says that despite the success of his project, he will not give up his other job and will continue to be Akamai's network architect, albeit now with a better internet connection.