RHINELANDER, WI (WSAU-WXPR) – Nearly 14% of Wisconsinites live in an area where there is no broadband that provides minimally acceptable speeds.
The infrastructure plan recently passed by Congress hopes to change that. The Build Back Better plan will invest $65-million to broadband infrastructure.
Brittany Beyer is the executive director of Grow North Regional Economic Development and chair of the Governor’s Task Force on Broadband. She says it’s a much-needed investment. “People finally understand without that broadband connection you’re not going to be participating evenly in 21st Century communication, education, business, and how we’re going to be taking care of ourselves health wise, as well.”
Beyer says one of the biggest challenges in the Northwoods has been getting a provider or community to take on a project when they might not get that big of return on investment.
And trees here can make fixed wireless internet unreliable.
Fiber optics are a good solution, but that means a multi-million-dollar project and huge time commitment. “I’m hoping that this is the moment where again, with an eye on strategic planning and support mechanisms we can get communities ready to help themselves, but also partner them with the providers to close those gaps.”
The bill also creates a plan designed to lower prices for internet service.
It will require providers that receive funding to offer a low-cost affordable plan. Providers would have to display what’s being called a “broadband nutritional label” so people can see what services they’re paying for and easily compare them.
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