Gov. Evers, PSC Announce Broadband Proposal Approved to Unlock Over $1 Billion in Federal Investments to Expand High-Speed Internet

Bipartisan Infrastructure Law investments to help Wisconsin expand access to high-speed internet to more than 175,000 homes and businesses across the state

Evers Administration looks to continue closing digital divide after helping more than 410,000 Wisconsin homes and businesses access new or improved high-speed internet

MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers, together with the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin (PSC), today announced the latest major milestone in the state’s efforts to expand high-speed internet statewide under a federal program designed to expand access to high-speed internet across the country. On December 2, the federal government approved Wisconsin’s final proposal, which will unlock over $1 billion in federal investments secured under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law signed by President Joe Biden. The Evers Administration’s proposal aims at expanding access to high-speed internet to more than 175,000 homes and businesses across the state, building upon Gov. Evers and the Evers Administration’s efforts to close the digital divide.

Gov. Evers and the Evers Administration have been working to address the state’s digital divide for years, even as the Wisconsin State Legislature, for two consecutive two-year state budgets, has approved $0 in new state funding for broadband expansion. Gov. Evers and the Evers Administration have done more to expand access to high-speed internet in Wisconsin than any other administration in state history. Since 2019, Gov. Evers has allocated more than $345 million in state and federal funds to expand high-speed internet, including the largest state investment in state history. With these investments, the Evers Administration has helped more than 410,000 homes and businesses access new or improved broadband.

“Access to high-speed internet is a necessity for how we learn, work, and stay connected in the 21st Century, and as a result of this years-long effort to secure this approval, we’ll be able to help more than 175,000 homes and businesses get online across the state. That’s remarkable,” said Gov. Evers. “After three years of working to implement the BEAD program and the Trump Administration making changes in the final hour, getting to this point today was a marathon effort. I’m grateful for the folks at PSC and others who helped secure this important federal approval to move forward our state’s efforts to close the digital divide and ensure folks and families have the reliable, affordable high-speed internet they need and deserve.”

The more than $1 billion in federal investments are unlocked through the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) approving Wisconsin’s final Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program proposal. As approved by NTIA, the awards will provide funding to serve all BEAD-eligible locations throughout the state with the support of more than $397 million in matching funds provided by recipients. Funding will also support high-speed fiber internet services at Community Anchor Institutions such as schools, libraries, and local government and educational facilities. The breakdown of technologies represented in the awards is 76 percent fiber, 10 percent fixed wireless, and 14 percent satellite. With this NTIA approval, environmental review and final engineering of projects can now begin, and infrastructure construction is expected to commence in 2026.

“Broadband is not a luxury, it’s a necessity for Wisconsinites to work, learn, connect with loved ones, and run their businesses and farms. That’s why when I helped pass the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, I was squarely focused on delivering high-speed internet to Wisconsin communities big and small,” said U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisconsin). “I will be the first to say this process has taken too long, only made worse by the Trump administration forcing Wisconsin to redo our entire application, but today’s approval brings us one step closer to putting shovels in the ground and making sure Wisconsinites in every corner of our state get the high-speed internet they need.”

Created under the Biden-Harris Administration’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and passed by the U.S. Congress in 2021, Gov. Evers and his administration have engaged in robust outreach and planning efforts to continue to expand internet service through implementation of Wisconsin’s BEAD Program, which included the Wisconsin Internet for All Listening Tour and the award of local planning and workforce grants. Additionally, the PSC’s Wisconsin Broadband Office (WBO) worked to gather public input and identify unserved locations eligible for BEAD funding.

“This significant achievement underscores Gov. Evers’ leadership and support, years of thoughtful and deliberative planning and coordination with stakeholders, and the Wisconsin Broadband Office’s unwavering commitment to expand high-speed internet access across our great state,” said PSC Chairperson Summer Strand. “For years, the WBO worked tirelessly to develop and implement a robust and inclusive public and stakeholder engagement process, and a state BEAD program that incorporated and reflected many of our values, including affordability. Unfortunately, the Trump Administration’s regressive changes forced us to choose between abandoning some of these core elements or losing historic levels of federal broadband funding. Ultimately, we persevered, and the Final Proposal approved by NTIA allows Wisconsin to receive crucial funding to support the buildout of broadband infrastructure statewide, connecting thousands of additional homes and businesses to high-speed internet.”

WBO similarly carried out extensive outreach, engagement, and production to plan, design, and implement the BEAD program. Throughout every step in the process, this work was undertaken in a thoughtful, intentional, and deliberative manner that complied with federal program requirements while carefully crafting and executing the best possible program for the state.

From August 2024 to May 2025, the PSC operated two BEAD Program grant rounds and reviewed bids from eligible entities to ensure reliable, cost-effective universal service. The two grant rounds resulted in 98 percent of locations receiving an application. Of those locations, 99 percent received an application to deploy fiber to premises. Despite similar progress made by states across the country, on June 6, 2025, NTIA published the “BEAD Restructuring Policy Notice,” which required Wisconsin to rescind its preliminary awards and implement significant changes to its BEAD Program under the Trump Administration’s new “Benefit of the Bargain” (BOB) grant round. Gov. Evers previously sent a letter to the Trump Administration urging the administration not to order these changes, indicating the move would delay Wisconsin’s ability to continue expanding high-speed internet and getting the funding out as quickly as possible.

Failure to comply with the new federal policy notice could have resulted in significant consequences for Wisconsin. As such, the WBO rapidly updated Wisconsin’s BEAD program, in partnership with participating providers, to align with the new requirements and guidelines.

The WBO subsequently completed review and scoring of applications under the BEAD BOB grant round and negotiated with eligible entities for the remaining locations. The PSC approved the Final Proposal with preliminary award recommendations for submission to NTIA at its Sept. 3, 2025, open meeting.

Additional information on the BEAD Program is available here.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.