Wisconsin to Receive $1 Billion for Statewide Broadband Expansion
MADISON, WI – A considerable $1 billion in federal funding will be deployed to expand high-speed internet access across Wisconsin, state officials announced. The initiative, spearheaded by the Public Service commission of Wisconsin (PSC), aims to reach approximately 11 percent of the state’s population currently lacking access, notably in northern, central, and southwest wisconsin.
Alyssa Kenney, State Broadband and Digital Equity Director at the PSC, emphasized the statewide impact of the investment. “There are locations throughout the entire state that are unserved,” Kenney told Wisconsin Public Radio’s “Wisconsin Today.” “We’re really trying to reach every last location as best we can with these funds.”
The funding will be distributed to a diverse range of internet service providers, including national companies, small telephone cooperatives, and tribal nations developing their own networks. Deployment will utilize a mix of technologies: approximately 76 percent fiber optic cable, 10 percent fixed wireless, and 14 percent satellite.
“Not every technology can get to every location,” Kenney explained. ”A mix of technology is vital for both resilience and for the geography of the state.”
Oneida County officials highlight the importance of fiber optic infrastructure in tourism-dependent areas. Tony Pharo, executive Director of the Oneida County Economic Progress Corporation, stated that fixed wireless is “not preferred” due to the county’s important seasonal population increase. He noted that reliable internet access can extend stays at second homes by two to three weeks, boosting local economic activity. “That’s money being spent at our stores, our restaurants and other services, and that is a huge economic help to the northwoods,” Pharo said.
The PSC anticipates project completion by 2030, with some areas potentially gaining access as early as 2027. A map detailing current broadband service availability in Wisconsin can be found here. The initiative is based on findings from a 2025 report by the Governor’s Task Force on Broadband Access.
