Wisconsin is getting more than $5.9 million to plan for the deployment and adoption of affordable, equitable, and reliable high-speed internet throughout the state. This investment, awarded by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, is part of the Internet for All initiative under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
Gov. Tony Evers says this investment is the start of a “once-in-a-generation opportunity” for the state.
“These new investments will help bolster our ongoing work and give local communities the support needed to build critical broadband infrastructure and ensure high-speed internet access for all,” he said in a release.
Exactly $5 million of the total sum supports the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program planning process. Wisconsin will learn its total BEAD allocation in 2023 after the federal government finalizes allocations of infrastructure funding based on the formula in the law. Using currently available data, Wisconsin could expect an allocation of $700 million to $1.1 billion for broadband expansion under BEAD.
BEAD planning funds will support technical assistance, outreach events, broadband mapping and workforce planning efforts. After the planning process, future BEAD infrastructure funding will be used to deploy and upgrade high-speed internet statewide. Unserved households and businesses lacking 25 megabits per second (Mbps) download and 3 Mbps upload will be the highest priority.
The next $952,197 of the award is for the Public Service Commission to create a state digital equity plan to ensure all communities can access and use affordable, reliable high-speed internet. With the planning grant, Wisconsin will create a five-year statewide digital equity plan that will serve as a strategic guide and implementation plan for increasing digital equity in the state and preparing for future digital equity capacity grant funding.
Leave a Reply