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Wisconsin Governor Signs Legislation to Provide Broadband to Rural Communities

A bill signed by Gov. Scott Walker directs the Public Service Commission to certify eligible communities as “Broadband Forward!” as long as they adopt an ordinance to streamline the process between them and the service provider.

(TNS) -- Residents in the remotest parts of the smallest communities still can make global connections with the right tools, said Gov. Scott Walker Thursday during a visit to Eau Claire.

One of those tools is access to broadband, a type of high-speed Internet that connects users to service providers through different transmissions such as DSL, cable modems, fiber cables and wireless technologies.

In a visit to Wisconsin Independent Network at Banbury Place, Walker signed into law a bill to quicken the expansion of broadband access in rural communities.

“We’ll help you invest to put in the infrastructure because we know particularly in those end-of-the-line, hard-to-reach areas it’s just too cost prohibitive in terms of return on investment to do it alone,” Walker said. “But we also know in this state to be successful, everyone has to have access.”

The bill signed by Walker Thursday directs the Public Service Commission to certify eligible communities as “Broadband Forward!” as long as they adopt an ordinance to streamline the process between them and the service provider.

“Today it’s just one more step of speeding up the process to make it happen,” Walker said.

Municipalities can’t impose fees higher than $100 on the applicants, nor can they impose moratoriums on applications, permits or construction related to installing broadband cables, according to the bill.

Lee Lappin, WIN vice president of finance and accounting, said the telecommunications company that specializes in fiber construction is in the process of getting permits for building fiber cables in Illinois, but the company is facing exorbitant fees and answers to requests are being delayed.

While the bill affects service providers in Wisconsin, Lappin wishes the bill could expand beyond Wisconsin’s borders.

“Most communities in Wisconsin have been good experiences,” he said.

Lappin pointed out that the future of small former telephone companies is now broadband.

Companies such as Tri-County Communications Cooperative based in Strum that services 7,000 members already are providing broadband services.

“We’re a forward-thinking co-op,” said CEO Cheryl Rue, noting that people from surrounding communities express interest in maintaining a similar system.

She said the bill signed by Walker is one more way to make sure everyone is supported in rural communities.

“It really takes a community,” she said. “We all have to work together to better communications for keeping people connected.

Walker said his goal within the next few years is to have every part of the state have access to high-speed Internet connections.

©2016 the Leader-Telegram (Eau Claire, Wis.) Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.