TDS Telecom said on Friday that will expand broadband to more than 35,000 locations in Wisconsin with funding approved by the FCC. The Commission allocated $18.8 million a year for the next 10 years to reach residents in some of the hardest to serve areas in Wisconsin. In addition to network expansion, the funds will also be used to maintain the voice and broadband network.
As the Associated Press recently reported, Republican lawmakers have been calling attention to the fact that people in rural parts of Wisconsin have a dearth of options when it comes to faster internet access. Members of the Rural Wisconsin Initiative held a news conference this week that included references to the lack of broadband as one of the reasons young people are moving away from small towns in the state.
Depending on location, most TDS customers in eligible rural areas will receive guaranteed broadband speeds of 25 Mbps download and 3 Mbps upload. Under the agreement with the FCC, the remaining customers will receive broadband service at lower speeds of 10/1 and 4/1Mbps. Specific information on build out plans will be available at the TDS website here.
Last month it was announced that TDS elected to receive approximately $75.1 million a year to increase broadband access in 25 states from the FCC’s Alternative Connect America Cost Model, under the Connect America Fund (CAF) program. TDS reports it will leverage the funds over the next 10 years to support the build out of rural broadband networks to nearly 160,000 locations across the country.
