The Sconi

After allocating a huge budget toward improving broadband facilities, Gov. Tony Evers reflects back on his "Year of Broadband Access."

"High-speed internet access is no longer a luxury – it's a critical part of our daily lives. I declared 2021 the Year of Broadband Access, and we made huge strides this past year to expand broadband access across our state. We aren't going to slow down now," Evers tweeted.

Earlier this year, Evers allocated $100 million to the State Broadband Expansion Grant Program from the American Rescue Plan, Coronavirus Aid Relief, and the Economic Security Act. He had said that the federal money, when added to the proposed money allocated toward the cause in the state budget, will be a "major step forward connecting everyone in our state."

That funding has been put toward constructing or improving existing broadband facilities in unserved and underserved areas. The guidance on how to distribute the federal dollars was different than the state's grant program, Rebecca Cameron Valcq said on WPR's "The Morning Show." The focus for the federal funds was fiber, "which we all know is sort of the gold standard" in broadband connection. The federal funds also called for attention to "smaller cooperatives."

Almost 12% of Wisconsinites do not have access to quality broadband. Fifty-six percent of Wisconsinites do not have "low-priced" internet plans, meaning they pay more than $60 per month.