Leader of State Public Service Commission Believes Most of Wisconsin Could Have Broadband Access by 2030

Tuesday, June 25th, 2024 -- 9:00 AM

(Joe Schulz, Wisconsin Public Radio) The leader of the state Public Service Commission estimates that almost every underserved or unserved area in Wisconsin could have broadband access by 2030, calling that a “conservative estimate.”

According to Joe Schulz with Wisconsin Public Radio, at a WisPolitics luncheon last Thursday, PSC chair Summer Strand said the agency anticipates rolling out a $1.1 billion federal grant program in early 2025. That money is in addition to the roughly $200 million the state has spent on broadband expansion since 2019, Strand said.

“It doesn’t mean the money is gonna flow in 2025 and everyone’s gonna be online in 2026,” she said. “My conservative estimate would be that we would be close to serving every underserved and unserved location in the state by 2030.”

The PSC estimates that more than 410,000 homes and businesses have gained access to new or improved broadband services since 2019. But Strand said the remaining areas lacking access are the hardest to reach and the most expensive to connect.

“There isn’t a lot of bang for the buck if you have to go six miles down a gravel road to reach one house,” she said. Beyond broadband expansion, Strand also discussed the state’s clean energy transition and turnover on the commission.

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