Wisconsin to Receive Over $1 Billion in Federal Funds for High-Speed Internet Access

Tuesday, June 27th, 2023 -- 9:00 AM

(Jessie Opoien, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel) Wisconsin will receive more than $1 billion in federal funds to expand high-speed internet access throughout the state, President Joe Biden's administration announced Monday.

According to Jessie Opoien with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Wisconsin's share of $42.45 billion in Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program funds, distributed throughout the country under the sweeping 2021 bipartisan infrastructure law, will go to internet service providers as they build and expand broadband services in areas of the state that need them most.

The newly announced allocation is part of the Biden administration's "Internet for All" initiative. U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo said the announcement means people who currently lack "access to quality, affordable high-speed internet service" will soon see that remedied.

According to the state Public Service Commission, the money will support efforts to bring internet service with download speeds of at least 100 Mbps and upload speeds of at least 20 Mbps (known as “100/20” service) to households and businesses considered to be "unserved" (lacking 23/5 service or entirely lacking service) and "underserved" (lacking 100/20 service), with unserved communities as the priority. The funds will be distributed through grants administered by the state as early as next year.

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