Wisconsin Aims to 'Accelerate Access' With Federal Funding

Wisconsin officials promised Tuesday to take big strides to close the state’s digital divide. Local governments should engage with the state on plans for NTIA’s broadband equity, access and deployment (BEAD) program and do more to increase participation in the federal affordable connectivity program (ACP), said Wisconsin Public Service Commission Chairperson Rebecca Cameron Valcq at a partially virtual broadband forum co-hosted by NTIA and the Wisconsin PSC: “We cannot leave any part of our state behind.”

The Wisconsin PSC previously awarded $300 million to connect 387,000 homes and residences, said Valcq. "While that is good news, we know that there is still work to be done." She estimated 650,000 Wisconsin residents still lack access and another 650,000 can't afford it. The state picked “some low-hanging fruit” in the early years of its broadband grant program, she said. “They were glaring spots that needed investment. Now we need to … put away the chainsaw and grab the scalpel.” That means identifying remaining unserved or underserved communities without overfunding or overbuilding areas, she said.

The state needs local help to improve adoption, said the chairperson: With more than 800,000 households eligible for ACP but about 267,000 signed up, "that's a really bad batting average.” ISPs, local officials and others must come to the table even if consensus is unlikely, she said. “The way that we're going to” connect the rest of Wisconsin “is by having tough conversations with engaged stakeholders, married with really accurate data.”

One big challenge could be the labor shortage, said the Wisconsin PSC chairperson, saying the problem keeps her up at night. “If we have the ability to hand out a hundred million dollars, do [ISPs] have people to actually build the infrastructure?” Possible ways to address the issue include working with technical colleges and redeploying employees from the energy industry to work on communications networks, said Valcq.

"We need authentic engagement,” stressed Alyssa Kenney, Wisconsin broadband office director. The state needs local communities, elected officials and ISPs “going into the last corners, the final addresses, across the road, down the street [and] down the driveway to reach every single person in the state.” The coming federal infrastructure support presents a big opportunity, said Kenney: “If it’s properly executed, we can accelerate access” and “have sustained, long-term, high impact on both broadband and digital equity.”

NTIA is reviewing Wisconsin and other states’ applications for $5 million in BEAD planning funds, said Carah Koch, the agency’s Wisconsin federal program officer. Each state will get at least $100 million, said Koch: Early next year, NTIA plans to review the FCC’s updated maps and decide how to allocate remaining funding.

States must take "a hard look at their own broadband data because when the FCC’s maps are published, every state and territory will have an opportunity to review those maps and to file challenges to point out to the FCC where the map might not be accurate,” said Kevin Gallagher, senior adviser to U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo. All the work and data collection already performed by the state broadband office “will position Wisconsin well to make sure that it gets its fair share of the funding,” he said.

Broadband is “not a want, but a need that we have,” said Ho-Chunk Nation President Marlon WhiteEagle. Tribes "have quite a bit of challenge being so spread out, with different internet service providers," and being "miles away from the connectivity point we need,” he said. Having broadband will mean more “well-adjusted citizens” in the Ho-Chunk Nation and across the state, said WhiteEagle, noting “historic trauma” experienced by tribal nations.

Wisconsin’s Marathon County has been trying to close broadband gaps since 2009, said County Board Supervisor John Robinson. The county at first tried allowing ISPs to take the lead but little changed in 10 years, he said. In 2020, ISPs showed no interest in partnering with government on a high-speed network, said Robinson, noting the county can’t itself provide the last mile due to state law. The FCC’s Rural Digital Opportunity Fund brought funding to the county, but the agency recently rejected one of the two big winners -- LTD Broadband. "We lost two years,” though the good news is “we can now move on and look at other opportunities.”