Wisconsin will announce broadband through multiple grant awards totaling $1.5 million to anchor institutions throughout the state.
Companies Amery Telecom and GogebicRange.net will receive both grant awards. Amery Telecom was awarded a $99,000 grant for services to Clayton High School. GogebicRange.net was awarded $41,914 for services at the Iron County Courthouse.
The $99,000 grant awarded to Amery Telcom, Inc. allows them to expand their service to southwest Barron County, where there is currently no broadband service, by building a fiber route along the rural roads for a fiber-to-home network. This project will provide broadband access to around 150 homes and will significantly improve broadband speeds in the area. The cost of the project is approximately $492,000 and Amery Telcom, Inc. will match the grant by providing $393,200.
GogebicRange.net, a privately owned fixed-wireless broadband service provider, will install wireless equipment on three existing telecommunications towers in northern Iron County. The towers are located in Hurley, and the towns of Anderson and Saxon. All three towers will provide shared-bandwidth and fixed broadband services directly to residences and businesses in the area, and is expected to reach approximately 2,293 households and 30 businesses. The project is a public-private partnership between GogebicRange.net, Iron County, Iron County Resource Development Association, and the Gogebic Range Broadband Committee. The total project cost is $78,699, and GogebicRange.net will provide the remaining cost of $36,785.
