Local Telecoms and Rural Wisconsin Hoping Stimulus Funds Bring Broadband Access

We have done many blogs around the important issue of broadband deployment in Wisconsin’s rural areas. The following quote from a recent Green Bay Press Gazette article explains again the importance of broadband deployment in Wisconsin:

“Broadband is important for education, important for economic development,” said Gary Evenson of the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin. “If a business is thinking of moving in a rural part of the state, they’re going to want broadband access to run their business. It’s recognized as a new important piece of economic interaction in this country.” <end quote>

As our partnership with Rural America Onshore Sourcing demonstrates, not having broadband access impedes economic development and the jobs that development usually brings. Rural America’s success in Wisconsin is predicated on rural broadband access.

Two local telecoms, Cellcom and Hilbert Communications, are hoping that their combined $100 million broadband deployment project wish lists be granted via the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act’s $7.2 billion allocated just for broadband expansion.

The PSC has been conducting an online survey (don’t even get us started…) to determine statewide broadband accessibility. As of October 2009, just over 8500 people have responded and more than ½ said they don’t have broadband. Respondents reasons for not having broadband range from it being too expensive to just not available in their communities.

Part of the problem, as discussed from a business model standpoint in this NPR story, is that current policy does not provide the needed profit motivation to expand broadband coverage into these areas. The low population density commonly found in rural areas unfortunately does not justify the huge investment needed to bring these communities service. Enter stimulus funds. Hopefully.

Wired Wisconsin is committed to supporting an environment for innovative technology, high-tech job creation, and economic growth. Supporting Future Thinking Technology Policies and Broadband Deployment in rural Wisconsin is central to this goal.