Gov. Evers, PSC Announce Final Proposal Submission to Unlock Federal Broadband Funding

MADISON — Gov. Evers, together with the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin (PSC), today announced another major milestone in the state’s efforts to expand high-speed internet statewide. On Sept. 3, 2025, the PSC submitted the state’s Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program Final Proposal to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) for approval. The Final Proposal provides information about important aspects of the program, includes the results of Wisconsin’s BEAD sub-granting process, and details preliminary awards intended to expand access to high-speed internet to more than 174,000 homes and businesses across the state.

“Access to affordable, reliable high-speed internet is essential to Wisconsinites’ ability to learn, work, get connected to services, and stay in touch with loved ones. With NTIA approval of our state’s BEAD proposal, we will be able to expand broadband access to thousands of locations across the state, helping ensure Wisconsin’s kids, families, communities, schools, and businesses get connected,” said Gov. Evers. “Despite the Trump Administration’s efforts to delay this essential funding, thanks to the tremendous efforts of the PSC and our federal partners, we were able to keep our year-long efforts to implement this program on track, and the timely submission of our Final Proposal highlights our commitment to getting this funding out the door to communities in need.”

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, and the Evers Administration has helped more than 410,000 homes and businesses access new or improved broadband.

“High speed internet is not just a luxury, it is a necessity for every Wisconsinite. Whether you are using it for a job, writing a paper for school, talking with a doctor, or just to talk with family, every Wisconsinite deserves access to broadband they can afford—regardless of where they live,” said U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisconsin). “I was so proud to vote for the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and make these resources possible—and now the Trump administration needs to approve of Wisconsin’s plan so we can get more Wisconsinites online.”

The BEAD Final Proposal, as approved by PSC, is preliminary and requires NTIA approval before awards can be finalized and construction of high-speed internet infrastructure can begin. Upon NTIA approval, environmental review and final engineering of projects will begin, and infrastructure construction is expected to commence in 2026.

In June 2025, the Trump Administration issued sweeping changes to the BEAD Program that mandated the rescission of all prior awards and required that states conduct a new, single round of sub-granting. The program changes further required that applications received in the new round be reviewed and scored primarily based on the proposed cost to serve each eligible location, and the ability of the proposed network to meet minimum internet speeds, removing the preference for best technology fiber and other important components such as affordable plan options and community coordination. 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.

“Due to the regressive changes made by the Trump Administration in the eleventh hour, the Final Proposal submitted last week does not reflect all aspects of Wisconsin’s carefully crafted BEAD Program developed through a robust and inclusive public and stakeholder engagement process to ensure the deployment of reliable high-speed internet throughout the state,” said PSC Chairperson Summer Strand. “However, the significant progress made prior to the recent changes was important, worthwhile, and still informs our process and program. While we had to comply with the changes to preserve Wisconsin’s opportunity to receive historic levels of federal broadband funding, I remain incredibly proud of the Wisconsin Broadband Office’s significant efforts, confident in the legal and ethical administration of these funds, and excited about the positive outcomes expanded access to improved internet service will provide thousands of people, communities, and businesses in Wisconsin.”

In Wisconsin, the newest round of BEAD Program grants resulted in 411 applications requesting over $2 billion in funds for internet infrastructure projects. Applications were received from 33 qualifying providers, including private Internet Service Providers, Tribal governments, and local communications cooperatives.

If approved by NTIA, the preliminary awards will provide funding to serve all BEAD-eligible locations throughout the state with the support of more than $360 million in matching funds provided by recipients. Funding awards will also be provided for 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 preliminary awards is 73.5 percent fiber, 13.3 percent fixed wireless, and 13.2 percent satellite.

Created under the 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 implement 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.

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, 93 percent would have had fiber deployed to premises.

However, as detailed above, 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. The most notable changes to Wisconsin’s Initial Proposal include:

• Less Reliable Broadband Technology: The BEAD Program previously prioritized the deployment of fiber technology because it provides more reliable service than other broadband technologies, such as unlicensed fixed wireless and satellite. Under the new guidance, BEAD no longer prioritizes fiber, shifting the program results toward less reliable technologies and infrastructure with a shorter useful life and lower performance than fiber.
• Elimination of Local Coordination and Planning: Over the last three years, 52 county boards carefully reviewed possible internet service providers and chose to formally endorse providers they wished to partner with. The new guidance removed local endorsements, and local input was disqualified from award consideration.
• Removal of Affordability Offerings: The initial BEAD plan authorized states to set a maximum value for low-cost internet service offering to ensure that all residents could access the infrastructure supported and built with public funding. The new BEAD guidance removed the affordability requirement, meaning there will be individuals who have access to broadband infrastructure but cannot afford to pay the monthly bill.

Failure to comply with the new federal policy notice could result in significant consequences for Wisconsin. As such, the WBO rapidly updated Wisconsin’s BEAD program to align with the new requirements and guidelines. Wisconsin cannot receive its allocation of BEAD funding until its Final Proposal is approved by NTIA.

The PSC conducted its BEAD BOB grant round from July 17 to July 28, 2025. The WBO subsequently completed review and scoring of applications 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.