Now that Rock County has approved the use of $6 million in American Relief Plan Act funding for a countywide broadband expansion, county leaders are looking for other sources of revenue to fund the project.
In an email last week, Rock County Administrator Josh Smith told The 69 that the next step is attempting to secure a separate broadband expansion grant through Wisconsin’s Public Service Commission.
The county has tapped Bug Tussel Wireless to complete the internet overhaul to improve AT&T cell towers and add fixed wireless towers to ensure the county is able to provide minimum data speeds of 100 megabits per second—both for upload and download speeds—to connected households.
Expansion of broadband access would enhance fiber optic access by adding a total of 14 new internet towers and fiber ring infrastructure.
The total cost for the project is estimated to be $13 million, which will be repaid by Bug Tussel over a 30-year period.
Details of the county’s application with the PSC, including the dollar amount the county is requesting, have yet to be revealed. It must be submitted by March 17, Smith said.
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