Wis. PSC Clears BEAD Initial Plan Vol. 1

The Wisconsin Public Service Commission ordered staff to submit volume one of its initial proposal for the broadband, equity, access and deployment (BEAD) at NTIA. It’s reasonable for the plan to say that any enhanced alternative connect America cost model location built with DSL or hybrid fiber and copper networks be eligible for BEAD funding, said the PSC order released Tuesday in docket 5-BP-2023. Also, the plan should “establish a limited and nuanced challenge framework for licensed fixed wireless locations that takes into account the age of the equipment, the band of the spectrum, and the power wattage of the signal,” the order said. Nonprofits may be challengers, it said. Some had raised concerns that all locations receiving broadband through fixed wireless would be considered underserved under the Vol. 1 draft, the PSC said.