For Immediate Release
(202) 224-5653

KOHL ANNOUNCES OVER $65 MILLION IN FEDERAL FUNDING FOR BROADBAND SERVICE IN RURAL WISCONSIN

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Herb Kohl announced that Wisconsin will receive $65,214,896 in loan and grant funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Broadband Initiatives Program. These funds will be used to create broadband infrastructure to provide rural communities in Wisconsin with access to high speed internet service.   

On July 23rd, Kohl called Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack to push for broadband funding for Wisconsin. As Chairman of the Senate Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee, Kohl provided $2.5 billion in funding for the USDA Broadband Program in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The funding announced today is expected to provide quality service to approximately 30,480 individuals and 1335 businesses throughout rural Wisconsin.  

Companies receiving broadband funding include:  

Midway Telephone Company - $4,680,738
Farmers Telephone Company, LLC - $1,440,570
Grantland Telecom, LLC – $1,655,504
Scandinavia Telephone Company - $1,238,809
Riverside Telecom, LLC - $818,687
Chequamegon Communications Cooperative Inc - $31,098,184
Baldwin Telecom, Inc. – $9,067,898
Eastcoast Telecom of Wisconsin, LLC - $1,669,255
Central State Telephone Company, LLC - $3,855,976
UTELCO, LLC - $2,823,526
Stockbridge & Sherwood Telephone Company, LLC - $1,837,421
Southeast Telephone Co. of Wisconsin, LLC - $947,555
Badger Telecom - $4,080,773  

"Wisconsin received a big jump today in expanding broadband services into rural parts of Wisconsin. This substantial investment will expand the broadband network to places that are currently underserved, linking people to resources that have been out of reach.  This is a path to growth for our businesses, health care providers and schools who can tap into the limitless potential of technology to strengthen their work, create jobs and energize their local economies," Kohl said.

Traditionally, broadband carriers have struggled to provide rural communities service due to the cost associated with providing coverage to such a dispersed population. This funding will provide coverage to individuals and markets that were otherwise unserved or underserved, and will quickly deploy the highest spectrum broadband available.  It will provide the capital necessary to build the infrastructure to provide a strong network of service to households, farms, libraries, schools, public safety agencies, and health care facilities. Improved access to broadband will also help area businesses, and create new family-supporting customer service and technical related positions.