A letter from Rose Lemke on the Broadband Forward project to bring internet to outlying areas of Lyons.
Dear Neighbors,
Just a few updates regarding expansion of Broadband access in Lyons:
• 2021 - Lyons approved Broadband Forward ordinance and received PSC grant covering Spectrum broadband for approximately 40 homes.
• 2023- Approximately 20 Lyons residents (Racine County project) received wired broadband through Spectrum and Federal Grant.
• 2024 - Spectrum broadband expanded to 200+ homes and businesses - Funded mainly by Rural Digital Opportunity Funds (RDOF) - FCC initiative to bring high-speed broadband to rural areas lacking adequate access.
• 2025 - Internet service providers (ISP's) are currently bidding on opportunities to provide further expansion (up to 250+ additional Lyons sites) through federal Broadband, Equity, Access & Deployment Program (BEAD Funds) - also through the FCC and coordinated through the WI PSC. This would cover a majority of remaining 'Unserved' addresses in Lyons.
o Walworth County and the Town of Lyons have provided letters of endorsement and support to Bertram Communications, who is applying for the project. We don't have visibility to other Internet Service Providers (ISP's) who may also be bidding on our area.
o The attached document provides a very rough view of addresses that are 'Eligible' for this project and BEAD funding. The list is very rough, and some addresses may have already been connected with service if Spectrum chose to leverage their RDOF project further in 2024. For example - the Lyons business park on Hwy 120 was finally connected in conjunction with Spectrum's RDOF installation!
• 2026 - Construction is planned be initiated on additional projects according to BEAD Fund bids and awards.
Update: As hearings are underway to approve the new (NTIA) National Telecommunications and Information Administration Director, there has been much concern expressed about the future (timing, technology, etc.) of the BEAD project. This is consistent with input I've received from various contacts (county, PSC and ISP's). I've attached a couple article links for your reference below.
Trump nominee says she would not administer internet program to benefit Elon Musk | Reuters
US Official Blasts Trump's Broadband Funding Shift From Fiber to Starlink | PCMag
I asked my contact at the WI PSC if there was anything we could do to help our cause. His response was to contact our state senators to encourage support for the BEAD project plan without disruption, stressing the importance of broadband connectivity in our community, and the successes experienced to date. (Contact info attached.)
After working on several of these Broadband initiatives over the past several years, bringing robust broadband technology to rural areas would be cost prohibitive for many communities and ISP's without the availability of these types of grants. Please feel free to forward to other Lyons neighbors, or to reach out if you have any questions.
Regards,
Rose Lemke - Lyons Broadband Rep