Wisconsin Awards $58 Million to Address BEAD Broadband Gaps
Wisconsin's latest broadband grants come amid disagreements over which locations still lack service
WASHINGTON, Nov. 9, 2026 — Wisconsin is directing nearly $58 million toward broadband projects intended to reach communities that could remain unserved after federal broadband funding is distributed.
The Public Service Commission of Wisconsin awarded funding to 46 projects through the state's Broadband Expansion Grant Program. The projects are expected to provide new or improved internet service to more than 18,000 locations, including areas not covered by the federal Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program.
The grants will support broadband infrastructure using fiber and fixed wireless technologies. For the first time, Wisconsin officials used the Federal Communications Commission's Broadband Serviceable Location dataset to identify and target locations most in need of improved service.
Wisconsin officials estimate that at least 30,000 locations will remain unserved after accounting for locations expected to receive improved service through BEAD and other programs.
The state received 93 applications requesting more than $160 million during the latest grant round, exceeding the available funding by approximately $100 million.
The funding follows a dispute between Wisconsin and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration over how many locations remain unserved. In May, an NTIA spokesperson said nearly 25,000 locations identified by Wisconsin as lacking service were already covered by BEAD-funded satellite projects, raising concerns about potential duplication of federal investments.
Public Service Commission Chairperson Summer Strand said the latest awards could be the state's final round of broadband expansion grants unless the next Legislature approves additional funding.
The $58 million comes from underspent and returned funds from previous state broadband grant rounds, along with money allocated to the program through the state's Universal Service Fund. Wisconsin's Legislature has not approved new state broadband expansion funding in its last two two-year budgets.
The state said the latest awards bring the total number of homes and businesses expected to receive new or improved broadband service through the Evers administration's efforts since 2019 to more than 428,000.
