With CWA Participation, Wisconsin Region Plans Broadband Growth
Increasing and enhancing broadband development doesn't just take place in Washington. Take, for instance, the Wisconsin Region 9 (Milwaukee-Racine and vicinity) Broadband Planning Team, created by the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin, to "create an action plan to address gaps in broadband availability and improve the adoption of available broadband services."
This team was created in fall 2010 — and included Frank Matthews, a staff representative based at CWA District 4 — to begin work on a draft plan. On August 29, 2011, with the input of Matthews and others, the PSC released a Draft Broadband Investment Plan for Region 9. The draft plan calls for:
"Community institutions, such as libraries, to provide broadband access and computer-literacy training for underserved groups, including rural residents, people with disabilities and low income groups."
Specifically, the plan calls for, among other goals:
- More broadband adoption and use among low-income households and populations with disabilities.
- Community "buy-in" to expand broadband services to targeted populations.
- Upgrade of broadband services at area libraries to at least 10 Mbps (preferably greater).
At the same time, the PSC and the Region 9 Team are calling for public comment and "feedback from residents, property/business owners and other stakeholders within the region."
CWA and Speed Matters believes that it's essential for citizens to become involved on a local level to spur government to adopt broadband policies that benefit all who do, or could, use broadband.
Regional Planning Team (RPT), Region 9
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