Western Wisconsin Needs Broadband

12/08/2024

Dec. 5, 2024: ACCESS Rural America Act Passes in the U.S. Senate

Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) lead the bipartisan legislation, which was also co-sponsored by Sen. Krysten Sinema (I-AZ), Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-ND), and Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA).

The legislation expands access to broadband in rural areas by easing the burden of regulatory costs for smaller broadband providers that rural communities rely on.

The ACCESS Rural America Act provides regulatory relief to rural telecommunications service providers by allowing them to submit streamlined financial reports to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). These small companies—many of which are the sole service providers in their region—could be put out of business by regulatory costs and unnecessary red tape. Specifically, this bipartisan legislation would create an exemption from certain SEC public registration and reporting requirements for rural telecommunications companies. This will save these small companies from costly and burdensome requirements that were never intended for them.

The bill, titled the Access to Capital Creates Economic Strength and Supports (ACCESS) Rural America Act, will now head to the U.S. House of Representatives.

More here:

Telecommunications industry leaders are applauding the passage of the ACCESS Rural America Act in the U.S. Senate.

10/14/2024

Much has happened, and we have come a long ways since 2021: The Year of the Broadband. There's still more to do.
Here in Pierce County, fiber-to-home internet is a reality now for many thanks to public-private partnerships, which helped elevate critical state grant applications that made fiber broadband connection in rural areas possible over these past few years.
If you have fiber internet today, make sure to thank those that made it possible: from local Township boards like the Town of River Falls and to Cooperatives like PPCS - Pierce Pepin Cooperative Services for adding fiber internet access to it's portfolio with SwiftCurrent Connect: Broadband by PPCS. Thank them; and then advocate for those still waiting for affordable, reliable, and sustainable internet.
Reflect, celebrate, and continue the charge!

How communities are closing the digital divide.

12/02/2023

Since 2019, Governor Tony Evers has directed more than $345 million to expand high-speed internet, ensuring that more than 395,000 homes and businesses will have new or improved service. The PSC’s Wisconsin Broadband Office just updated its interactive Broadband Grant Footprint tool showing how these investments have connected communities across Wisconsin.

https://maps.psc.wi.gov/portal/apps/experiencebuilder/template/?id=17311b111c9b4998a943b7ec7220c1bb&page=page_6

12/02/2023

A Public Service Commission official discusses efforts to expand high-speed internet with federal funding under the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. States must complete a Digital Equity Plan to gain access to federal dollars. We examine Wisconsin’s proposed plan.

12/02/2023

Public Service Commission of Wisconsin has released a draft of Wisconsin’s Broadband Equity, Access & Deployment (BEAD) Initial Proposal Volume 2 for public comment. Central to the BEAD Initial Proposal Volume 2 is the proposed design of the subgrantee selection process. The other requirements of Volume 2 describe in detail the WBO’s plan to ensure labor standards and protections are strongly enforced; plans to prepare workforce for broadband deployment; an assessment of climate threats and mitigation options relevant to broadband infrastructure; a process for supporting and tracking supplier diversity; assets and resources for cost and barrier reduction; affordability measures including a low-cost service requirement; and compliance and regulatory provisions.

The PSC’s Wisconsin Broadband Office is accepting public comment for Volume 2 of the BEAD Initial Proposal until Monday, December 11. Public feedback will help ensure that every resident and business has access to a reliable, affordable, and high-speed broadband connection.

Learn more: https://psc.wi.gov/Pages/ServiceType/Broadband/InternetForAll.aspx

07/12/2023

**WI Broadband Task Force Releases Third Report**
This week, Governor Tony Evers announced the release of the Governor’s Task Force on Broadband Access’ third annual report.

The third annual report makes recommendations for the state to continue building on the Evers Administration's progress to expand access, adoption, and affordability of high-speed internet and prepare to capitalize on increased federal investments through the ‘Internet for All’ initiative under President Joe Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

Read the report:https://psc.wi.gov/Documents/broadband/2023GovernorsTaskForceOnBroadbandAccessReport.pdf

This week, Governor Tony Evers announced the release of the Governor’s Task Force on Broadband Access’ third annual report.

The third annual report makes recommendations for the state to continue building on the Evers Administration's progress to expand access, adoption, and affordability of high-speed internet and prepare to capitalize on increased federal investments through the ‘Internet for All’ initiative under President Joe Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

Read the report:https://psc.wi.gov/Documents/broadband/2023GovernorsTaskForceOnBroadbandAccessReport.pdf

07/12/2023

Wisconsin to receive more than $1 billion under the Broadband Equity, Access & Deployment (BEAD) Program to connect every unserved home and business in the state to internet. This investment is part of the ‘Internet for All’ initiative under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, signed by President Biden in 2021.

https://conta.cc/46nYDkX

Today the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) announced the state will receive more than $1 billion under the Broadband Equity, Access & Deployment (BEAD) Program to connect every unserved home and business in the state to internet. This investment is part of the ‘Internet for All’ initiative under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, signed by President Biden in 2021.

PSC Chairperson Valcq celebrated this announcement and shared, "we are committed to ensuring this funding gets to where it is needed as quickly as practicable while maintaining our high standard of transparency and our strong record of being responsible stewards of taxpayer dollars."

https://conta.cc/46nYDkX

07/12/2023

Your internet service experience matters! Help the PSC connect every unserved home and business in Wisconsin to broadband internet by taking the PSC’s WISER survey by July 14, 2023.

WISER is a survey with a speed test that allows you to share your internet service needs and barriers to ensure all households in Wisconsin have access to affordable and reliable high-speed internet.

If you have internet, take the WISER survey and speed test on your computer here: https://maps.psc.wi.gov/apps/WISER/index.html

If you do not have internet or if you can only access the internet through a cell phone data plan, please call 608-261-6026 to take the survey by phone with the assistance of a dedicated PSC team member.

06/06/2023

"The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to release an updated National Broadband Map that provides a more reliable and accurate depiction of broadband availability across Wisconsin. After hearing from Wisconsin community members and stakeholders of inaccurate data in the FCC’s original National Broadband Map, Senator Baldwin repeatedly pushed the FCC to correct the map’s broadband availability information to ensure Wisconsin gets its fair share of federal broadband funding in the future."
More here:

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin successfully pushed the Federal Communications...

11/23/2022

No matter the score of the Packers vs. Titans game Thursday, many fans were disappointed because being on Amazon Prime, they weren’t able to watch it in the first place.

11/14/2022

"We’ve made significant progress in the last few years to expand
broadband in Wisconsin, but there is more to do. With strong
partnerships between communities and the Public Service Commission’s Wisconsin Broadband Office, I’m
confident that the hard work ahead will translate to improved
broadband access and digital equity for all."

Broadband expansion is a featured topic in this month’s edition of the League of Wisconsin Municipalities’ Municipality Magazine. Chairperson Valcq wrote about the ways in which the Wisconsin Broadband Office is preparing to support broadband expansion efforts and what’s expected in the months ahead.

https://www.lwm-info.org/DocumentCenter/View/6093/11-22-Grateful-The-Municipality

10/26/2022

Connecting everyone in Wisconsin to affordable, reliable high-speed Internet service is critical to the overall success of the state. On Tuesday, the PSC’s Wisconsin Broadband Office partnered with the National Telecommunications and Information Administration to host Internet for All: Connecting Wisconsin Kick-off as states prepare to receive an historic investment from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

This event provided an opportunity for community leaders, industry professionals, and the public to discuss ways we can work together to efficiently and effectively utilize these dollars to achieve the highest possible level of high-speed Internet deployment and adoption.