Marathon County endorses three ISPs for federal grants

The Marathon County Board of Supervisors has endorsed three internet service providers (ISPs) – Bug Tussel, Bertram Communications, and Mosaic Technologies – to apply for federal funding to expand broadband in rural areas. These endorsements, based on recommendations from the county’s broadband task force, aim to address internet service gaps in unserved or underserved areas. The ISPs are competing for part of Wisconsin’s $1 billion federal grant under the Broadband Equity Access Development (BEAD) program, which could provide up to 75% funding for fiber optic projects. Marathon County has been divided into 113 project units, with many rural areas like Spencer, Athens, and Stratford in need of broadband expansion. While other ISPs, such as Charter and Frontier Communications, can apply, the county did not recommend them due to various concerns, and the final funding decisions will be made by the Public Service Commission in July.

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