WAUSAU, Wis. (WSAU) — Marathon County officials say they’re working to make sure every resident has access to reliable internet.
Marathon County Library director Ralph Illick says the county is working to advocate for greater expansion of stable, permanent broadband connectivity across central Wisconsin. “We’re hopeful that we’re going to, over the next few years in this area, see a dramatic upswing connectivity for everybody.” He likens the expansion to the first efforts to bring reliable electrical power and other utilities to the rural areas of the region, and how that will come as more infrastructure is put into place by providers.
Illick says stable and robust Internet access is vital making the community attractive to future growth. “More connectivity meaning more dollars tourist-wise, meaning more dollars for the community as far as its output, and it’s going to mean more for folks who want to relocate.” That last point is very important as the county and central Wisconsin continue to fight to attract and retain young professionals to work and live in the area.
The county’s newly formed Technology Committee has been exploring the issue, but Illick says it will take more than just governmental pushes to move that infrastructure where it’s needed. “My message always, always has been, we want to push that and stress that because it’s extremely important for local economies, local learning institutions and lifelong learning as well.” He says that it make take a large carrier moving to install that line themselves before the region has a better backbone connection for the internet as a whole.
Governor Walker’s proposed budget will spend 6 million dollars in joint grants for public private partnerships to push for broadband expansion to the parts of the state which are the least served right now.