Brown County WI Broadband Update

8/31/2023 Broadband News

This is a broadband update for Brown County, Wisconsin. It includes some state and national broadband information.

1. WI PSC (public service commission) submitted the  “Five-Year Action Plan” for Wisconsin.  The five year plan was due Aug 28th.

   https://psc.wi.gov/Documents/broadband/5YearActionPlan.pdf (85 pages). 
   My 2 cents, it is a recap of existing planning (not the rules for fund distribution).  The fund distribution rules are expected in the December 27 WI-PSC/NTIA document (see below). 

   1. Current WI-PSC Broadband Office Timeline https://psc.wi.gov/Documents/broadband/5YearActionPlan.pdf#page=61
      

2. Likely 2023 Timeline

   1. “PSC Capital Projects” Related Information

      1. What is it? https://psc.wi.gov/Pages/ServiceType/Broadband/CPFInfrastructure.aspx

      2. September 8, 2023 11am- The WI-PSC Wisconsin Broadband Office will host "Capital Projects Application Overview" Webinar

      3. Sept 14, 2023 1pm - The WI-PSC Wisconsin Broadband Office will host “Mapping Your Capital Project Overview" Webinar

      4. Nov 7, 2023 – Application deadline for the WI-PSC 2023 Capital Project (broadband grant)
         

   2. Sept 20, 7pm- Full County Board meeting with Bug Tussel loan vote (relates to some broadband improvements in Brown County - not grant based).  Brown County Board of Supervisors, basement of Brown County library (in person only)
      

   3. Estimated Oct/Nov 2023- Likely send out targeted mailers for speed test and surveys, After receipt of updated data from Boston Consulting Group and WI-PSC. Links to the survey and speed test below

      1. State of Wisconsin WISER Survey 

      2. Local/Regional/State OPTI speed test 
         

   4. Broadband Regional Workshops (UW Extension)

      1. September 6-7, Northwood Technical College in Rice Lake [FYI ONLY]

      2. September 28-29, Cranberry Country Lodge in Tomah [FYI ONLY]

      3. October 9-10, Radisson Hotel in Fond du Lac [Brown County Attending]

      4. October 25-26, Nicolet College in Rhinelander [FYI ONLY]

      5. Oct 9-10 – Broadband Regional 2day workshop Fon du lac

6. Oct 23 – Brown County Broadband Committee Meeting link to join the meeting

7. Est Fall 2023- Start Meeting with ISPs.  Regional thru broadband planning thru New North and likely local Brown County meetings.

8. Dec 21 – target to have Brown County maps complete, including Integration of supporting data from New North Broadband Planning Group

9. Dec 27 – WI PSC deadline to submit “Initial Proposal” for $1B

   1. See Info in #3 graphic below

   2. Once this plan is accepted by the NTIA the clock starts for the final plan due 365 days after acceptance.

   3. The final plan must include sub-grantees (orgs awarded funds)

   4. Working backwards it is likely the that grants will need to be awarded and confirmed about 90 days (to allow challenges and public review) BEFORE the NTIA deadline (likely Dec 2024 thru April 2025). 

3. Likely 2024 Timeline

   1. Jan 26 - Brown County and New North Assess WI-PSC Dec 27 report and have local and regional plans tentatively updated/completed

   2. Jan thru April 2024 - NTIA accepts the “Initial Proposal” (from Dec 27 noted above).  That acceptance starts a 1yr deadline for the Final Proposal (see #4 below)

   3. Early 2024 - Brown County / New North meet with ISPs for likely grant areas (based on Jan 26 plan)

      1. Counties partner/select ISP(s) and begin preparation of grants once NTIA accepts WI-PSC Initial Plan.

   4. Mid 2024 - Likely Brown County and/or region to submit locally and/or regionally with selected ISP or ISPs in Q2, Q3 or Q4 2024 the timing depending on WI-PSC and NTIA acceptance of the Dec 27, 2023 plan.

      1. Brown County and partner ISPs complete any paperwork necessary in support of grant cycle(s)

   5. Late 2024 or early 2025 - WI-PSC submits Final Proposal. 365 days after acceptance of Initial Proposal.  This must include grant awardees, so all grant processes must be complete BEFORE the submittal. This is a hard deadline.

5. Ongoing

   1. Broadband Planning with New North Group, consider other grants with ISPs

   2. Continue to work with WI-PSC to get all FCC (NTIA) locations updated to ensure Brown County qualifies for other grants that may use the FCC BSL data.

   3. Continue to work with consumers and ISPs to support build out service to Brown County and the region.
       

4. RDOF Updates/Information

   1. RDOF https://www.fcc.gov/auction/904

   2. Deadlines: 60% of locations in a state by December 31, 2026; 80% of locations in a state by December 31, 2027; and 100% of locations in a state by December 31, 2028

   3. RDOF Map: https://maps.psc.wi.gov/apps/Rdof/

      1. Also on combined PSC map: https://maps.psc.wi.gov/apps/BbExpGApplicants/

   4. Note: some areas are no longer being built – example LTD is no longer building

   5. **Confirmed RDOF areas are not eligible for BEAD** (as UNDERSERVED if only 25/3 as SERVED if 100/20 or higher)

   6. Also on combined PSC map: https://maps.psc.wi.gov/apps/BbExpGApplicants/
      

5. ACAM Updates/Information

   1. FCC made changes to ACAM.  Their update requires that participating carriers deploy voice and 100/20 Mbps or faster broadband service to 100 percent of the eligible locations in their areas.  It includes $13.5 billion over a ten-year extension period

   2. ACAM Map: https://maps.psc.wi.gov/apps/Acam/ - There is a small overlap with TDS in the south-western corner of Brown County and bigger chunks of Shawano and Calumet and small spots in Manitowoc and Sheboygan (these may or may not qualify)

      1. Also on combined PSC map: https://maps.psc.wi.gov/apps/BbExpGApplicants/

   3. **100/20 ACAM areas are not eligible for BEAD** (areas not committing in writing to 100/20 would still be eligible)

Current Brown County WI Speed test map

https://browncounty.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=ae44a0c299554f7ea4e2561d82700451

Data is sourced from OPTI (MLABS) based data set. https://expressoptimizer.net/projects/Wisconsin/speedtestmap.php

Likely target areas within Brown County