Broadband coming to Birnamwood
Better access to high-speed internet is coming to rural Shawano County, but the process is going to require patience from homeowners and cooperation between municipalities and communication companies.
Village of Birnamwood residents were invited to an informational session before the village board meeting Feb. 11 to learn about the broadband expansion, which is being made possible by a $274,068 state grant.
Dennis Heling, chief economic development officer of Shawano County Economic Progress Inc., explained key details of the Wisconsin Public Service Commission grant, including a matching requirement of $25,000 from Shawano County and $1,000 to $2,500 each from area municipalities. The grant will help extend high-speed internet to more than 2,300 households and 110 businesses, Heling said.
“It’s something that’s been needed in the area for years,” said Mike Sprague, Birnamwood village president.
The extent of that need was made clear by an exploratory group formed two years ago to study the lack of internet access in the county. The group reached out to IT professionals, business people, manufacturers, agricultural producers and municipal officials before applying for the grant, which was approved in fall.
The Birnamwood meeting was held to give area residents an opportunity to ask questions about the project and express any concerns. Officials did not say when they expected the service to be available in Birnamwood.
Work on the expansion project has already started, said Scott Nyman, CEO of Wittenberg Telephone Company. His company has been laying out fiber optic cable to Birnamwood elementary and middle schools and Resch Tile, as well as along the U.S. Highway 45 corridor.
Some homeowners who live in remote, wooded areas said they were concerned about not having internet access even after the completion of the expansion.
Mark Dodge, director of business development for Bertram Internet in Random Lake, suggested those homeowners might need to install a large antenna or work with an internet provider in Hatley.
“We won’t make a promise because some places are just too hard to access,” Dodge said.
Nyman said a feasibility study still needed to be done about reaching each home in Birnamwood.
In the short term, the companies are working together to get high-speed internet access to as many residents and businesses as possible. The service can improve access to health care and education for rural residents, officials noted.
“To be able to talk to your doctor via your cell phone or tablet takes a tremendous amount of broadband,” Nyman said. “We’re coming as fast as we can, but it takes time and planning so that we’re not overstepping our bounds for state money.”
Nyman and Dodge will develop the best strategy for the area, Dodge said. “We need to work together as there isn’t unlimited funding, and overlapping is counter to the purpose of the grant,” he said.
Dodge pointed out that local, state and federal funding have different and specific requirements which must be met. A federal grant, for example, might be “free” but still require the hiring of an overseer to report to the federal government, which could use up as much as 6 percent of the budget. That salary could be cost-prohibitive on some projects.
Following due process and staying compliant with the Federal Communications Commission can also take time, Nyman added.
When a homeowner asked about rates and the cost of switching services, Dodge said that Bertram’s monthly rates are generally between $39 and $59.95. He also said, “If (your plan) is working for you, I wouldn’t change it.”
Resident Jeff Plautz said he was glad he attended the informational meeting. “We got very good information tonight,” Plautz said, adding that either Bertram or Wittenberg Telephone Company would be a better option than his current provider.