The pandemic shined a spotlight on multiple inequities, including the lack of broadband internet in rural areas. When COVID-19 sent employees and kids home to work and learn, having broadband connectivity became a necessity.
“Like water and electricity, broadband is a must-have, but it also needs to be equitable so people can afford it,” says Peter Thillman, executive director of Shawano County Economic Progress, Inc.
That’s one of the goals behind a regional study led by New North, Inc. looking at where broadband is needed and planning how to get it there. The regional economic development organization partnered with Design Nine, a nationally recognized planning firm, to oversee the project, which also includes consulting firms MSA Professional Services and GEO Partners, LLC. The project is funded by a $500,000 EDA CARES Act Recovery Assistance grant and $120,000 in matching local funds.
New North, Inc. President and CEO Barb LaMue says the project includes assessment of service areas with an emphasis on identifying coverage gaps; mapping of infrastructure routes, including existing facilities and equipment; evaluation of community readiness and barriers; preparation of a detailed regional broadband access study report; and recommendations within a regional infrastructure development plan.
“We hope to have it all delivered by Dec. 31. We’re fast-tracking it,” she says.
LaMue says counties can use the direct government funds they are receiving to help recover from the pandemic to address their broadband challenges. “We want to put our counties in a good position on how those funds can be used,” she says. “We also hope more funding is coming.”
In Wisconsin, an estimated 23 percent of state residents have access to fiber-optic service, and 82.7 percent have access to cable service, according to research conducted by BroadbandNow. Wisconsin ranks 30th in the nation in broadband access.
Improving broadband throughout the region will spur economic growth, says Steve Jenkins, executive director of the Door County Economic Development Corp.
“We need to stop kicking the can down the road … fiber will help our economy grow as businesses are able to utilize it and help us attract remote workers who want to live here,” he says. “Broadband is critical infrastructure along with child care and affordable housing.”
Bug Tussel President and CEO Steve Schneider agrees having access to broadband is critical to economic growth. Based in Green Bay, Bug Tussel builds towers and provides high-speed wireless internet.
“Economic development can’t wait. Not having broadband in an area can slow economic development,” he says. “The need for better broadband in rural areas has been growing for a long time, but the pandemic really raised awareness about the issue.”
The last mile
Getting broadband to businesses and residences requires a two-part solution. The first is bringing broadband, whether it’s fiber or wireless, to an area, and the second is connecting homes to that broadband.
“I’ve had people tell me they saw fiber being laid in front of their house, but there’s no way to connect to it,” says SCEPI’s Thillman. “We need both parts addressed.”
Jenkins says Door County will soon receive its own plan drafted by a consultant on how to successfully provide broadband throughout the county in the next few years.
“We chose to move forward because there’s such an urgency for us. We received too many comments about lack of service, especially during the pandemic,” he says. “Our report will include recommendations on how to address the issue and what partners are needed to make it happen.”
Due to the county’s topography, putting broadband fiber in the ground is nearly impossible, so Jenkins says one approach may be stringing fiber along the lines already delivering electricity. Washington Island, which is served by an electric co-op, is already working on spreading the fiber there; the rest of the county is served by WPS.
“We do need to manage expectations. This is something that can’t be done overnight,” he says. “Like other industries, there’s an increase in demand but not enough supply, so it may take two to three years to get everything done.”
In Shawano County, Thillman says some areas are hard to reach with either fiber or a wireless connection from a tower, so he’s eager to see what the New North study finds. “We’re moving forward, but we’re taking baby steps,” he says. “There’s not much profit (for providers) when there’s a house every 10 miles.”
The Stockbridge-Munsee Community near Bowler and the Menominee Indian Reservation just north of Shawano County recently made big strides in their broadband access. While Spectrum is bringing fiber to all homes on the Menominee Indian Reservation in Menominee County, Cirrinity provided broadband fiber to the Stockbridge-Munsee Community, including Bowler and nearby Gresham.
Cirrinity’s General Manager and CEO Scott Nyman says the Wittenberg-based business has been active with broadband grant programs for some time. A fiber development grant and private investment allowed 55 miles of fiber-optic cable to be laid to serve the Stockbridge-Munsee and nearby Gresham.
“Our motto is we build broadband while other people wait,” he says. “It’s not just about doing business, but doing it as a service to the community. The fiber can help seniors get connected with telehealth appointments and help with the education of students.”
Known as Wittenberg Telephone Co. until earlier this year, Cirrinity operates in Shawano, Langlade and eastern Marathon counties. “We did a study that showed 75 to 80 percent of homes we run fiber past will sign up for service. That shows we’re making a difference,” he says.
While it may be possible to get broadband to all businesses and residences in the New North, it also needs to remain affordable, Jenkins says.
“We can put in all of the fiber, but if the price is too steep for people to pay, what’s the point? A key part of the equation is making sure the broadband is affordable,” he says.
Increased competition should bring prices down, which is why after the broadband infrastructure comes to Door County, Jenkins hopes to work with multiple providers on connecting people to the service.
Equity is definitely a part of the broadband picture, Thillman agrees. “People need to afford it.”
An early player
Bug Tussel, a subsidiary of Hilbert Communications, formed in 2003. “We were pushing broadband in rural markets before it became popular,” Schneider says.
He adds the company is working with 46 of Wisconsin’s 72 counties as well as out-of-state communities to provide wireless broadband from towers. In Kewaunee County alone, Bug Tussel has built seven towers thanks to grants from WPS.
“We partner with AT&T and other providers on the towers,” Schneider says.
The increased focus on providing broadband to rural areas has been good for Bug Tussel. Sales in 2019 were $26 million, and they look to top $100 million in 2021.
The company’s ROAD — Rural Open Access Design — initiative looks at both short- and long-term solutions for the areas it’s trying to connect. If Bug Tussel puts in fiber, Schneider hopes it will spur other providers to provide that last mile of service.
“Mobile service is essential too since we’re always on the move. That is something we are also looking at,” he says. “This issue requires a multipronged solution.”
