Broadband is not only necessary, but essential

Businesses, homes, schools, even parks and recreation areas, are reliant on having high-speed internet access, to live, work and play. Home buyers are looking for highspeed broadband, families are searching for places to live where remote jobs can be utilized and online schooling is readily available.

“I hear a lot about the impact of lack of access of high-speed broadband,” said Sen. Tammy Baldwin.

Baldwin was in Cornell, Aug. 11, to hear from those affected by the lack of access and from those who have received broadband, thanks to efforts from the partnership between Citizens Connected and Chippewa Valley Electric, to form Ntera.

“We are very much a rural state and getting that broadband connection is vitally important,” said Baldwin.

So far, millions of dollars have been invested in getting broadband to underserved areas, through federal grants, allocated money and co-oped investments. However, the need is still there to work on closing the remaining gaps.

As one such recipient of broadband, Mary Hoel, who lives about five miles west of Cornell, has seen what life was like before her access, when she moved her law office to her home and what it’s been like after access was made available.

“It really made a big difference in what I was able to do and not do…we’re just very happy this has happened,” she said.

Hoel’s husband, Mark Robarge, encouraged Baldwin and other politicians, to continue to work toward access for all, as he’s witnessed the struggles other townships have to get broadband into their area.

Cadott resident/business owner/school board president Cory LaNou agreed, saying he tried every kind of internet provider out there, until Ntera came along with their fiber

See BROADBAND / Page 3 access that was established in the Town of Arthur. Despite his happiness with the service, there are still district students who do not have reliable, affordable or accessible broadband.

“It’s a big deal for our rural students,” said LaNou.

Wally Leipart, Gilman School District administrator, said that with the addition of some fiber option broadband services to Gilman, new kids are coming into the district. His wife runs an online virtual school (eSucceed) from home, something that wouldn’t be possible without broadband access.

That was especially apparent during the COVID-19 pandemic, as Gilman found that less than 30 percent of families had access to internet at their homes, and that cellphones were not reliable or ideal to use for virtual schooling.

“It is something that is vital to our communities and it really does make a difference,” said Leipart.

Cadott resident/educator Shari Gunderson had her own internet woes during COVID, but is now worried that not everyone is being taken care of for broadband access. Baldwin said that is a work in progress, but mentioned that not all services will be with fiber.

Some places will have WiFi installed on towers or come through satellite, although that is not the preferred route.

She also said the family budget is the hold-up in some instances, even in larger cities or towns that have reliable access. Initiatives are underway to address that part of the lack of access.

Baldwin posed a question on most people’s minds who still don’t have access: how do you pivot from town to town, to covering an entire state?

According to the USDA, before that can happen and a proposal can be submitted for funding, the Wisconsin Broadband Office and Public Service Commission, has to have provided service to every eligible location.

Chippewa County Economic Development Corporation president Charlie Walker also brought up that broadband is becoming essential in precision agricultural.

“And we’re leading the way as a state to do that,” he said. As the process continues to provide broadband access, Walker says the permitting has to be cost-contained and streamlined, in order to keep on track with where they want to be.

Admittedly, daily life has become almost dependent on internet access for homework, which is often done electronically, for economic reasons and for keeping in touch with friends.

“It matters,” said Baldwin. “It really matters.”