By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism.
PSC awards $125 Million in Broadband Expansion Grants for 71 projects
Funding to provide new or improved broadband access to over 87,000 underserved and unserved locations
Broadband

MADISON — On Thursday, the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin (PSC or Commission) awarded funding from the state’s Broadband Expansion Grant Program. The Commission awarded $124,967,392 for 71 projects that will expand broadband internet to more than 82,912 residential and 4566 business locations currently unserved or underserved. The projects receiving awards will impact 45 counties. The grant awards will leverage $185,780,074 of matching funds from recipients. 

“Over the last three years, we’ve worked hard to invest state and federal funding in projects that will provide more than 387,000 homes and businesses with reliable, high-quality internet. These grants will go to ensure students, workers, business owners, families, and communities can access the internet in every part of our state,” said Gov. Evers. 

Since Governor Evers took office in 2019, Wisconsin has disbursed or committed over $289 million towards expanding broadband, including $105 million in federal funding directed by the governor. State and federal funds allocated under Governor Evers for broadband grants have provided or will provide more than 387,000 homes and businesses access to new or improved services.

“We’ve made tremendous progress in the past three years towards getting people access to high-quality, affordable internet service,” said PSC Chairperson Rebecca Cameron Valcq. “We will continue to make the investments needed to ensure all in our state have access to affordable broadband.”

In November 2021, Governor Evers and PSC Chairperson Valcq, announced $100 million of broadband expansion grant funding from the 2021-23 state biennial budget would be available to be awarded by the PSC. In March of 2022, the PSC received 194 applications requesting a total of $495 million. Due to the large demand for funding, on June 2, 2022, the Governor and the PSC announced an additional $25 million from the state budget would be made available for the current grant round.

The broadband expansion grants invest in construction projects for internet service in areas of the state that are challenging to connect due to population density or geography. Since 2014, 434 grants have been awarded through the grant program from state and federal funding to projects impacting 71 counties.