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Satellite Internet in Michigan

Michigan is the only U.S. state to consist of two peninsulas. The Upper Peninsula and the Lower Peninsula are separated by the Straits of Mackinac; the Upper Peninsula is often referred to as “The U.P.” and the Lower Peninsula is often referred to as “The Mitten”. From east to west, Michigan is bordered by Lake Erie, Lake Huron, Lake Michigan, and Lake Superior. Not surprisingly, Michigan has the longest freshwater shoreline of any political subdivision in the world, including the five Great Lakes and Lake Saint Clair, too. Michigan also has 64,980 inland lakes and ponds. In 2005, Michigan ranked third among U.S. states for the number of registered recreational boats, after California and Florida. At any given time, a person in the state of Michigan is never more than six miles from a natural water source or more than 87.2 miles from a Great Lakes shoreline.

The Lower Peninsula, the Mitten, is 277 miles long from north to south and 195 miles from east to west; it occupies nearly two-thirds of the state’s total land area. The Upper Peninsula, on the other hand, is as large as Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island combined, in land area, but it has fewer than 330,000 residents. Residents of the U.P. are sometimes called “Yoopers” (a slurred version of “U.P.’ers”). In fact, because they are so far north and because there are so few residents, the Yoopers have developed their own speech pattern, called the Yooper dialect. It is heavily influenced by the numerous Scandanavian and Canadian immigrants who inhabited the region in the late 19th century. During this time, there was a great lumbering and mining boom because the U.P. is very mountainous, especially in the west. The Porcupine Mountains, located in the west, are part of one of the oldest mountain chains in the world, rising to almost 2,000 feet above sea level. Michigan’s highest point is in the Huron Mountains in the U.P., at Mount Avron, reaching 1,979 feet.

Numerous lakes and marshes mark both peninsulas, especially on the coastlines. Michigan has the ninth longest shoreline of any state at 3,224 miles. The state also has numerous islands, the principal ones being North Manitou and South Manitou, Bois Black, Mackinac islands, and Drummond islands in St. Mary’s River. Because of its long coastline and many islands, Michigan has the most lighthouses of any U.S. state, approximately 150 of them! The first lighthouses in Michigan were built in the years between 1818 and 1822 to serve as a landmark during the day to guide passenger ships and freighters travelling the Great Lakes. Michigan has 11,037 inland lakes and 1,305 square miles of inland water.

Also, Michigan is home to seventy-eight state parks, nineteen state recreation areas, and six state forests, making it the largest state forest system of any state in the nation. Michigan’s Department of Natural Resources manages the forest system, which contributes $12 billion annually to the state’s economy through industry and recreational users. The state forest system also supports 200,000 jobs, too. Public hiking and hunting are secured in extensive commercial forests, creating a huge popularity from tourists for destination hunting.

Hunting and fishing are significant industries in the state. Charter boats are based in many Great Lakes cities to fish for salmon, trout, walleye, and perch. Michigan ranks first in the nation in licensed hunters, more than one million people, who contribute $2 billion annually to its economy. More than 750,000 hunters participate in the white-tailed deer hunting season alone.

A wide variety of commodity crops, fruits, and vegetables are grown in Michigan, making it second only to California among U.S. states in diversity of agriculture. Michigan is a leading grower of fruit in the U.S., including blueberries, cherries, apples, grapes, and peaches. Most of these fruit are grown in West Michigan. In total, Michigan has 55,000 farms that utilize a total of 10,000,000 acres of land. Overall, these farms sold $6.6 billion in products in 2006. The most valuable agricultural product produced in Michigan is milk; other leading crops include corn, soybeans, flowers, wheat, sugar beets, and potatoes. Livestock is also a valuable addition to Michigan’s agricultural output. Current estimates measure Michigan’s livestock at one million cattle, one million hogs, 78,000 sheep, and more than three million chickens. Livestock products accounted for 38% of the value of agricultural products, while crops accounted for the remaining 62%.

Because of its beautiful geography, Michigan has a thriving tourist industry. The forests, lakes, and thousands of miles of beaches are top attractions for tourists. Michigan’s tourism website is one of the most popular in the nation. Visitors spend $17.5 billion per year in the state, supporting nearly 200,000 tourism jobs. Destinations draw vacationers, hunters, and nature enthusiasts from across America and Canada. Tourists also visit the state for events like the Tulip Time Festival in May and the National Cherry Festival in July.

Tourism is so popular, in fact, that in 2006 the Michigan State Board of Education mandated that public schools not begin classes until after Labor Day. Research found that 70% of all tourism business comes directly from Michigan residents and the Michigan Hotel, Motel, and Resort Association claimed that the shorter summer breaks from school cut into the annual tourism season in the state.

The Bureau of Economic Analysis estimated Michigan’s 2008 gross state product at $382 billion. Per capita personal income in 2009 was $34,025, ranking Michigan thirty-ninth in the nation. Aside from its strong economic support from the agricultural sector, Michigan also benefits from automobile manufacturing, information technology, aerospace engineering, military equipment, mining of copper and iron, and furniture. Michigan is also the third leading grower of Christmas trees, with 60,520 acres of land dedicated to Christmas tree farming. Two popular beverages, Vernors and Faygo, were both invented in Michigan. Two of the top four pizza chains were founded in Michigan and are headquartered there- Domino’s Pizza and Little Caesars.

If you’re a businessperson in Michigan trying to bring Internet access to a resort, park, campground, or other vacation destination that’s off the grid, then Skycasters satellite Internet has a solution for you. In today’s always-connected world, if you can’t provide broadband access, you can’t attract the best guests. Monthly recurring costs shouldn’t prevent you from bringing the highest quality communications to the most remote locations. And because Skycasters backhauls with satellite, we can go anywhere. Visit our travel destination PTMP page to learn more about how Skycasters can outfit your business with fast, reliable satellite Internet access.

If you happen to find yourself in a dead zone and away from one of the state’s major metropolitan areas, such as Detroit, why not try satellite Internet? It is just as good as broadband, and can be reached in those areas where cable and DSL can’t. And, it works faster than just a regular modem. You won’t need a second phone line and it is up to fifty times faster than a dial up connection. So you can check your email, download attachments, and browse the web, even in the most remote places. It’s a great and easy way to get the Internet service that you need for your personal home office or desk at work.

With the power of satellite Internet and its super fast download times, you can keep up on all of the latest stats and scores with your favorite sports teams, such as the Pistons, Lions or Tigers. You can even watch your favorite television episodes or movies online. So if your ZIP code is on the list below, satellite Internet is available in your area. It is super easy to install, so why hesitate on getting it today.

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