COMPANY HISTORY
Air Advantage began providing broadband wireless service in 2002 with 5 tower locations serving a potential market of about 2,000 people. We connected our first customer on July 25, 2002 in Pigeon, Michigan. Our initial geographic market included Huron, Tuscola and Sanilac Counties located in what is considered the “Thumb” of Michigan. This geographic area represents approximately 68,000 households and is about 4.6% of the total land mass of Michigan. This area is considered very rural and averages about 48 households per square mile compared to the statewide average of 125 households.
In addition to its original coverage area, Air Advantage also serves portions of rural Saginaw, Bay, Lapeer, St. Clair and Macomb Counties. The Company’s original 5-tower network has grown to over 60 towers serving nearly 5,000 commercial and residential customers.
Air Advantage is a Michigan-based limited liability company owned by Scott and Dawn Zimmer, Leroy A. Koglin, Jr. and David Simmet. Dawn Zimmer is also President and Founder of Zimco, Inc., (www.zimco.net) a technology consulting firm delivering technology consulting, training and support services to educational customers throughout the Mid-Michigan region since 1994. She remains active in Zimco and manages the day to day operations of that firm.
In the early 2000-2002 timeframe while Zimco was expanding its consulting services to schools in the rural Thumb of Michigan, its employees were often made aware of customer challenges in finding a cost effective provider of broadband services. In addition, Zimco, as a technology-consulting firm, required Internet access. It was crucial to its core business, yet prices were being quoted in excess of $400/month for ISDN service (128k) in its area while less than 20 miles away, it was available for as little as $50/month. Zimco began the search for an affordable alternative to the high cost of telecom and cable high-speed access to the Internet.
The Air Advantage concept developed as the answer to this search for affordable high-speed data services. This wireless broadband solution gives the Company the ability to provide service to a wide geographic area at a reasonable cost.
RURAL UTILITY SERVICE (RUS)
During its initial stages of growth, the Company received two grants from the USDA’s Rural Utility Service (RUS) to provide Internet service in two small un-served markets. A relationship was built with the USDA and the Company secured a loan through the USDA’s low-interest Broadband Loan program to provide broadband service to parts of rural Michigan. These grants and additional RUS loans have helped Air Advantage grow into a nationally ranked Wireless Internet Service provider (WISP). Air Advantage was recently approved for another grant and another loan by the RUS. These loans and grant will assist Air Advantage continue its growth in serving the un-served and underserved areas of rural Michigan.
