PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION of WISCONSIN Memorandum

PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION OF WISCONSIN Memorandum

August 3, 2016

FOR COMMISSION AGENDA

TO: The Commission

FROM: Sarah Klein, Administrator Lisa Farrell, Finance and Grant Services Director Angie Dickison, State Broadband Director Dennis Klaila, Program & Planning Analyst Division of Business and Program Management

Peter R. Jahn, Telecommunications Analyst Division of Water, Telecommunications and Consumer Affairs

RE: Fiscal Year 2017 Broadband Expansion Grants 5-BF-2017

Fiscal Year 2017 Broadband Expansion Grant Awards

Suggested Minute: [The Commission found that the Ethoplex LLC (Milwaukee County project) application (met/did not meet) the eligibility requirements of the program and (accepted/did not accept) the Ethoplex LLC application] or [The Commission took note of concerns regarding the eligibility of Ethoplex LLC (Milwaukee County project) application, but found that it was not necessary to rule on the eligibility of the Ethoplex LLC application.]

[The Commission found that the Town of Port Washington application (met/did not meet) the eligibility requirements of the program and (accepted/did not accept) the Town of Port Washington application] or [The Commission took note of concerns regarding the eligibility of Town of Port Washington application, but found that it was not necessary to rule on the eligibility of the Town of Port Washington application.]

[The Commission found that the Waupaca Online.net application (met/did not meet) the eligibility requirements of the program and (accepted/did not accept) the Waupaca Online.net application] or [The Commission took note of concerns regarding the eligibility of Waupaca Online.net application, but found that it was not necessary to rule on the eligibility of the Waupaca Online.net application.]

The Commission reviewed the applications for broadband expansion grants and (determined which applicants should receive a grant award in Fiscal Year 2017/remanded the matter back to Commission staff for additional investigation).

Introduction

The Broadband Expansion Grant program is authorized by Wis. Stat. §§ 20.155(3)(r) and

196.504. The purpose of the Broadband Grant program is to encourage the deployment of

advanced telecommunications services in underserved areas of the state. This will be the fourth

year that the Commission has awarded grants under this authority. The Commission awarded

$500,000 to seven applicants in Fiscal Year (FY) 2014, $452,579.31 to seven applicants in

FY 2015, and $1,500,000 to eleven applicants in FY 2016.

On June 16, 2016, 27 different applicants submitted a total 37 applications for a FY 2017

Broadband Expansion Grant. The total amount requested by all applications is $3.826 million.

The state has appropriated $1.5 million for this year’s broadband grant program. This memorandum summarizes the grant applications that have been filed for the Commission’s review.

FY 2017 Broadband Expansion Grant Applications

The 37 applications that the Commission received include a variety of broadband technologies: fiber to the home (FTTH)/premises, cable internet, telephone digital subscriber line (DSL), and fixed wireless internet service. A summary of the applications is included at the end of this memo as Appendix A. This memorandum and the summary in Appendix A are provided merely as a guide to the Commission and are not intended to supplant the

Commission’s independent review and assessment of the applications.

The Commission provided a three-week period in which the public could comment on the filed applications. A list of the comments that were submitted, both those included as part of the application and those submitted by separate correspondence, are listed by application in

Appendix A.

The applications were evaluated by a four member screening panel.1 The screening panel

considered both the eligibility and merit of each application and provided recommendations to

the Commission. (DL: 1420231.) This memorandum incorporates the panel recommendation in

Attachment 1, and provides additional background information below to explain the choices the

panel made. The memorandum and recommendation are provided as a useful opinion regarding

the eligibility and relative merits of the grant applications. The Commission is not bound by the

evaluation and recommendation.

1. Eligibility.

Wisconsin Stat. § 196.504 contains two eligibility requirements that must be satisfied for the Commission to authorize a broadband expansion grant.

• First, an applicant must be either an organization operated for profit or not for profit, a telecommunications utility, or a public entity that has entered into a partnership with an eligible organization or telecommunications utility. • Second, the statute authorizes the Commission to make grants to eligible applicants to construct broadband infrastructure in underserved areas. This requirement eliminates applications proposing to build in areas not considered to be underserved. Wisconsin Stat. § 196.504(1)(b) defines underserved as “served by fewer than 2 broadband service providers.”

The Commission staff finds one of the 37 applications in this grant cycle to be ineligible.

Commission staff also notes that two other applications raise significant questions regarding their

eligibility. Those applications are discussed below. However, because of the large number of

excellent applications that are clearly eligible, the Commission may choose to direct its attention

1 The screening panel consisted of Angie Dickison, Peter Jahn and Dennis Klaila of the Commission staff, and Chris Reader, Director of Health & Human Resources Policy, Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce. 3

to those applications, and not reach a decision on whether the three applications noted below are eligible.

A. Ethoplex LLC (Milwaukee County project).

The main difficulty with this application is that it lacks focus (or its focus is in fact

directed toward a large served area outside the scope of this program). The applicant proposes to

spend $514,500, including $252,105 in grant funds, to build a fixed wireless service covering all

of Milwaukee County, Wisconsin. The footprint of this wireless service would overlap several

existing broadband services. Throughout the county, Time Warner, a cable provider, offers an

internet service with an advertised speed of up to 100 megabits per second (Mbps). Several wireline carriers, including AT&T, TDS Metrocom, Level 3, and MegaPath, offer DSL and fiber

service in the county at advertised speeds of up to 50 Mbps.

In the comments below, Commission staff notes that this project may be the most

interesting and innovative proposal offered this year. Ethoplex is proposing to deploy wireless

equipment that matches the speeds available with some FTTH installations. It is proposing to

offer a 500 Mbps fixed wireless service for $90 per month. It may be that this application

signals that fixed wireless will be a viable high-end alternative in some markets in the future.

However, for purposes of this grant program, it is not clear that the Ethoplex Milwaukee

County project is a good fit. In the view of Commission staff, the Commission is not required to

locate potential underserved customers within a wireless footprint, or evaluate an application

based upon a hypothetical set of customers. It is the responsibility of the applicant to advance a

grant project that identifies the customer set it intends to serve with sufficient specificity that the

project can be readily evaluated. In the view of Commission staff, this application may be

ineligible because it lacks this specificity, making it difficult to determine whether the project would serve one or more eligible areas within the footprint of this wireless system.

Commission Alternatives

Alternative One: The Commission found that the Ethoplex LLC (Milwaukee County project) application met the eligibility requirements of the program and accepted the Ethoplex application.

Alternative Two: The Commission found that the Ethoplex LLC (Milwaukee County project) application did not meet the eligibility requirements of the program and did not accept the Ethoplex application.

Alternative Three: The Commission took note of the concerns regarding the eligibility of the Ethoplex LLC (Milwaukee County project) application, but found that it was not necessary to rule on the eligibility of the Ethoplex LLC application.

B. Town of Port Washington.

This project may be ineligible because the applicant is a public entity that lacks a private

partner. The application identifies the Forest Beach Home Owners Association as a

co-applicant. However, there is no writing to document this partnership, nor has either partner

committed to provide matching funds or offered anything substantive to indicate that a

partnership has actually been formed and is contributing to this application.

In prior grant cycles, the Commission found a similarly situated public applicant to be

ineligible because the applicant only provided the name or a letter of support from the private

partner. The Commission may wish to again require more compelling evidence that a

partnership has been formed and the member parties are contributing to the project in a

meaningful way.

Commission Alternatives

Alternative One: The Commission found that the Town of Port Washington application

met the eligibility requirements of the program and accepted the Port Washington application.

Alternative Two: The Commission found that the Town of Port Washington application did not meet the eligibility requirements of the program and did not accept the Port Washington application.

Alternative Three: The Commission took note of the concerns regarding the eligibility of the Town of Port Washington application, but found that it was not necessary to rule on the eligibility of the Town of Port Washington application.

C. Waupaca Online.net.

This project may be ineligible because the applicant is a public entity that lacks a private

partner. Waupaca Online.net is wholly owned by the City of Waupaca and is managed as a

department within the city’s administration. The Commission previously determined that

Waupaca Online.net is a public entity, and must have a private partner to be eligible. The

application proposes a partnership between Waupaca Online.net and All-Net Consulting,

New London, Wisconsin. The owner of All-Net Consulting is Ralph Schmal. As part of the

FY 2015 Waupaca OnLine grant project, All-Net Consulting did submit invoices for engineering design that were paid through the grant award.

However, Commission staff notes that Ralph Schmal is also employed by the City of

Waupaca, and is listed in the City staff directory with a job title of Waupaca Online Network

Engineer. This relationship was not disclosed in the FY 2015 application, nor is it mentioned in this year’s application. The application does not provide an explanation of the duties that each partner will contribute to the project.

Commission Alternatives

Alternative One: The Commission found that the Waupaca Online.net application met

the eligibility requirements of the program and accepted the Waupaca Online application.

Alternative Two: The Commission found that the Waupaca Online.net application did not meet the eligibility requirements of the program and did not accept the Waupaca Online application.

Alternative Three: The Commission took note of the concerns regarding the eligibility of the Waupaca Online.net application, but found that it was not necessary to rule on the eligibility of the Waupaca Online.net application.

2. Evaluations of the Grant Applications.

Wisconsin Stat. § 196.504 gives the Commission authority to establish criteria for evaluating grant applications. The statute requires that the criteria adopted by the Commission give priority to applications that include any of six factors:

• Matching funds; • Public-private partnerships; • No existing broadband service; • Scalability; • Promotes economic development; and/or • Project impact/size of underserved population served.

The Commission issued application instructions at the beginning of the application period. Those instructions informed prospective applicants that the six priority factors would be central to the Commission’s review and decision regarding which applications should be funded.

The recommendation in Attachment 1 is limited to a review of the six priority factors.

For purposes of ranking the applications in Attachment 1, each factor is weighted evenly.

However, in its review, the Commission is not required to give the priority factors equal weight,

and may decide from among these factors and other considerations which information is most

important in ranking the grant applications in order of merit.

A. Matching Funds.

The first factor that is given priority consideration is matching funds. In past grant

cycles, Commission staff has commented on the difficulty of comparing the significance of matching funds from one application to the next. On one hand, the willingness of some local governments to contribute matching funds is perhaps the best measure of the urgent need for adequate broadband service in these communities. On the other hand, some applications propose in-kind contributions that include salary expense for individuals whose salary would have been paid in any event, or equipment expense for items that have already been purchased and would have been used for a variety of construction projects regardless of the grant project. However,

Commission staff does not believe that in-kind contributions can be disregarded altogether. In some instances, a cash and in-kind contribution indicates a company or corporate decision to commit its own funds to advance a promising project, to forego possible earnings in the near term in order to secure better earnings down the road, or to achieve other non-monetary goals.

The recommendation in Attachment 1 reports the match percentage as proposed by the

applicant. The recommendation identifies 12 of 37 applications that propose matching funds of

60 percent of the total project cost or more. Below Commission staff lists 8 applications that

stood out from the rest with respect to the commitment of matching funds:

• Lafayette County Development Corporation fixed wireless project. Five different public and private entities have agreed to contribute 80 percent ($688,672) of the project cost. Of the total matching funds, the broadband service provider, ComElec Internet Services, LLC, has agreed to contribute $575,422 in cash and $74,200 in in-kind items (salary expense).

• Amherst Telephone Co. Portage County project. Amherst Telephone Co. is contributing 72 percent ($382,921) of the project cost, including a majority of the equipment and supplies for the fiber route. • CenturyLink Baraboo project. CenturyLink is contributing 65 percent ($310,700) of the project cost, including a majority of the fiber, material and equipment for the fiber route. • Oneida County Economic Development Corporation (EDC) fixed wireless project. Nine different public and private entities have agreed to contribute 55 percent ($222,670) of the project cost ($189,670 is in cash). One group of prospective customers have formed their own company, Broadband Support Group, LLC (BSG), for the purpose of financing the construction of two wireless communications towers to serve their area. BSG is contributing $60,000 in cash toward the construction of the towers, and will recover a portion of those funds by leasing the use of those towers to Northwoods Connect. • ChoiceTel Town of Land O’Lakes Phase II project. The Town of Land O’Lakes is contributing 50 percent ($204,321, all in cash) of the project cost. • CCI Systems, Inc., d/b/a Packerland Broadband (Trump Lake project). CCI Systems will contribute 68 percent (a total of $112,000-$96,659.61 in cash and $15,340.39 in in-kind items, consisting of salary expense and donated supplies). • Wittenberg Wireless Village of White Lake project. Three different private entities will contribute 51.5 percent ($97,735) of the project cost. • CenturyLink City of Peshtigo project. CenturyLink is contributing 70 percent ($93,100) of the project cost, including a majority of the equipment and supplies for the fiber route. • MH Telecom City (MHTC) Dodgeville project. Dodgeville and MHTC are each contributing 30 percent ($41,520) of the project cost. B. Public-Private Partnerships.

Attachment 1 notes that 19 of the 37 applications propose a public-private partnership

(not counting the Town of Port Washington and Waupaca On-line.net filings). All 19

partnerships demonstrate a level of participation beyond just an expression of support for the grant proposal. In some instances, the broadband service provider is the principal partner advocating the development of the project. In other instances, it is the local government.

Also in this grant cycle, there are three applications in which the applicant did not propose a partnership, but there exists nonetheless a vocal local community advocating for approval of the grant application: CenturyLink Berry Lake project; Ethoplex Town of

Oconomowoc project; and Black Earth Telephone Co. Town of Berry project.

The Commission staff highlights the following applications that combine the contributions of public and private partners in a noteworthy manner:

• CenturyLink City of Peshtigo project. Peshtigo has zoned a portion of its city for commercial development. It selected CenturyLink to provide broadband service in the business park and has waived fees for use of public rights-of-way. The city is the party actively recruiting prospective buyers or tenants for the locations in the business park. • MHTC Dodgeville project. Dodgeville has similarly zoned a portion of its city for commercial development. It has created a Tax Incremental Financing (TIF) District to stimulate interest among prospective buyers for the locations in the business park. Dodgeville recruited MHTC to provide broadband service in the business park and has waived fees for use of public rights-of-way. • ChoiceTel Town of Land O’Lakes project. The Town of Land O’Lakes is engaged in a long-term project to furnish superior broadband service to all of the homes and businesses in the township. The Town recruited ChoiceTel to provide this broadband service. The Town donated a small piece of land to ChoiceTel to use for its telecommunications hut, and has waived fees for use of public rights-of-way. • Oneida County EDC fixed wireline project. Oneida County is also engaged in a long-term project to provide broadband service in the underserved parts of the county. The County Economic Development Corporation determined that a fixed

wireless service would best accomplish that goal and recruited Northwoods Connect to provide the service. For this application, Oneida County EDC has enlisted the support and cash and in-kind contributions from nine public and private entities. • Lafayette Development Corporation (LDC). The Lafayette County fixed wireless project also represents the joint efforts of a diverse group of residents and local government leaders. The application itself, as well as the details of the project design, were reviewed by a local committee LDC convened for this effort. • Wittenberg Wireless Crestwood School and Village of White Lake projects. Langlade County, by resolution of its Board of Supervisors, has voted to join the Wittenberg applications as a partner. The Village of White Lake, by its Board, has voted to join the Wittenberg Village of White Lake application as a partner. The Village and the County have both pledged to waive any expenses associated with obtaining permits and permissions, and have given Wittenberg access and use of public rights-of-way. Wittenberg Wireless employees attended County Board and Village Board meetings to keep the parties apprised of progress on the FY 2016 project and progress on the FY 2017 applications.

C. No Existing Broadband Service Meeting the 25/3 Mbps Service Standard.

Providing broadband service to areas of the state that have no existing service options has

always been one of the key objectives of this program. Attachment 1 identifies 28 of the

37 applications that would serve areas without an existing broadband service meeting the

25/3 Mbps service standard.

Several applications propose to serve small project areas that have been unable to secure adequate landline broadband service. The applications in this year’s grant cycle include

19 proposals that would serve 100 customers or less. These are roughly equivalent projects.

They cannot all be funded in one grant cycle. Attachment 1 compares these proposals by

considering the project impact on the basis of grant amount requested per location served, and recommends the proposals that would most efficiently use the grant dollars to extend service.

CenturyLink raises an additional consideration regarding service availability that warrants a comment. CenturyLink’s Berry Lake, Colfax and Hickory Park proposals are prompted in part by the fact that its facilities in Oconto, Dunn and Eau Claire Counties,

Wisconsin, are fully subscribed, and cannot accommodate new DSL customers. While there is some broadband service available in those areas, there is limited broadband service available for new requests.

Below, Commission staff identifies 6 applications where the current service options are poor, and the project proposes a significant investment to correct service deficiencies on a larger scale.

• Amherst Telephone Company Town of Hull project. • Black Earth Telephone Co. Town of Berry and Town of Vermont projects. • ChoiceTel Town of Land O’Lakes project. • Iron County Resource Development Association. • Starwire Technologies Town of Clam Falls project.

D. Scalability.

This priority factor is intended to consider the longer term growth potential of the project facility once construction of the proposed project is complete. Many applications are limited to the customers and geographic area the project targeted in its application. Fixed wireless projects are generally limited to the footprint of the antennas, and by power and range limits imposed by federal spectrum licenses. However, some wireless and landline systems are built with spare capacity and specific plans on how to use that spare capacity to build out service in the area.

Below Commission staff highlights 7 applications that identified additional markets and customers that the provider or local community would serve if the base project were built.

• Amherst Telephone Company Town of Hull project. Once built, it would appear likely that Amherst could connect customers to its fiber service throughout the rural area north and east of Stevens Point between Amherst and Hull. • CenturyLink Baraboo project. This project would install fiber to the home service to a large portion of Baraboo. This would provide a significant upgrade in service speeds for the residents in the area. It may also provide CenturyLink the means to address competing service options in the Baraboo area. • Frontier North Inc. Town of Weston project. The initial purpose of this project is to upgrade the communications service available to existing customers in a commercially prosperous section of the Wausau metropolitan area. The project will build out sufficient capacity to serve adjacent areas at the same level of service. • Marquette Adams Telephone Cooperative, Inc. (Marquette Adams). In addition to proposing to extend service to the hospital in Friendship, Wisconsin, Marquette Adams also proposed to build sufficient spare capacity to serve additional customers in Adams and Friendship upon request. This application may compete better if those additional customers were included in the proposal at the outset. There appears to be significant demand for improved broadband service in this area. • MHTC Dodgeville project. This project currently identifies a small number of locations in the existing business park as the focus of the current application. The application also points out that if this project comes together as hoped, the MHTC broadband service has sufficient capacity to extend service to adjacent areas that are as yet undeveloped. • Wittenberg Wireless Crestwood School project. This application indicates that Wittenberg would build sufficient spare capacity to serve additional customers in adjacent areas once the initial project is completed.

• Wittenberg Wireless Village of White Lake project. This application indicates that the fiber service in White Lake will provide network access for a fixed wireless project in the rural area outside of White Lake.

E. Economic Development.

Below, the Commission staff identifies 6 applications that demonstrated an existing plan

to promote the growth of the local economy by installing improved broadband service.

This list does not include any of the fixed wireless projects. All of the fixed wireless

proposals comment that there are important business customers within each of the project

footprints. On this point, Commission staff simply notes that it is unclear how many business customers would view the fixed wireless service as an adequate broadband option. Without better information, it is difficult to say what impact a fixed wireless system might have on the local economy.

However, the application of Oneida County EDC may be an exception. The application envisions that its wireless service could impact the decisions of tourists and seasonal residents to use the facilities or extend their stay in the rural Oneida County area. This is a likely and a reasonable use of a fixed wireless service.

The following applications proposed a landline broadband service focused on serving the needs of a business community:

• CenturyLink Peshtigo project; • CenturyLink Baraboo project; • CenturyLink Big Top Chautauqua project; • MHTC Dodgeville project; • 24-7 Town of Red Cedar project; and • Wittenberg Wireless Village of White Lake project.

F. Project Impact/Size of Underserved Population Served.

Attachment 1 compares the applications on the basis of grant dollars expended per locations served by the project. This type of evaluation does allow the Commission to identify proposals that are good bargains for the amount of grant dollars requested. This is particularly the case when comparing projects that would use the same type of technology. But, as with any of the factor analyses of competing broadband technologies, it is important to recognize the limits of this approach.

First, the grant applications of fixed wireless systems can and often do overstate the available customer base by a considerable amount. At best, the actual number of customers of a fixed wireless system will be known within a period of three to five years as the service matures, customer contacts are made, and existing service agreements expire. In the experience of

Commission staff, no fixed wireless service has yet come close to meeting the number of expected subscribers advanced in its application.

Second, it is difficult to compare a project oriented to a business use with those focused on serving a strictly residential population. The application focused on business use has the potential of affecting the local economy in ways that a residential project cannot match. Even allowing for work-at-home businesses that would benefit from improved broadband service, the prospect of future economic growth must necessarily be taken into account in weighting the relative project impact of the various business and residential proposals.

Attachment 1 identifies 13 applications with a grant dollar per location served ratio that is less than $500; 15 applications with a grant dollar per location served ratio between $500 and

$1,800; and 9 applications with a ratio greater than $1,800. Commission staff also notes that the

following projects may have an impact on the local economy that is not fully captured by a simple cost per location ratio:

• CenturyLink Peshtigo project; • CenturyLink Baraboo project; • MHTC Dodgeville project; • ChoiceTel Land O’Lakes project; and • Wittenberg Wireless Village of White Lake project. G. Other Factors.

The statute permits the Commission to apply additional criteria in the evaluation of grant applications. The screening panel did not give weight to any additional information in its recommendation, but the Commission is entitled to do so in its review. In the section below,

Commission staff discusses additional information suggested either by the applicants, commenting parties, or by the grant decisions of the Commission in prior cycles.

1. Prior Applications.

In the past, the Commission has on occasion taken into account the fact that an applicant has resubmitted an application that was denied in a previous grant cycle. There are four applications this year that fall into that category.

• Black Earth Telephone Company Town of Berry project. This is the third time TDS has applied for a grant for Town of Berry. This year, TDS has significantly improved its offer of matching funds. TDS now proposes to pay for 50 percent of the total project cost. • CenturyLink Big Top Chautauqua project. Last year, Norvado proposed to provide service to Big Top Chautauqua. This year, CenturyLink proposes to provide the service and offers to pay 56 percent of the total project cost.

• Town of Delavan-Charter Communications project. This is the second time that the Town of Delavan has applied for a grant. This year, Charter Communications (Charter) has significantly improved its offer of matching funds. Charter proposes to pay 50 percent of the total project cost. • Merrimac Communications Town of Sumpter project. This is the third time that Merrimac Communications and Town of Sumpter have applied for a grant.

2. Overlap of Connect America Fund Phase II eligible areas.

Last year, the Commission took into account the degree of overlap between Connect

America Fund Phase II (CAF II) eligible areas and the project areas that some applicants proposed to serve. Again this year, there are areas of overlap between CAF II eligible areas and the project areas of some applications. Attachment 1 provides a summary of information regarding overlap with CAF II eligible areas.

Of the three price cap carriers in Wisconsin, only CenturyLink filed comments opposing applications that would overlap its CAF II eligible areas. An additional application (Citizens

Telephone Cooperative Pine Lake project) may overlap CenturyLink CAF II eligible area in its

Chetek exchange. The applications that CenturyLink opposes due to CAF II overlap are:

• CCI Systems, Inc., d/b/a Packerland Broadband Trump Lake project; • Chibardun Telephone Cooperative/Indianhead Holsteins project; • Door County Broadband fixed wireless project; • Iron County Resource Development Association fixed wireless project; • Lafayette Development Corporation fixed wireless project; • Northern Telephone and Data Corporation Town of Utica project; and • Starwire Technologies Town of Clam Falls project.

Attachment 1 notes that there were projects that overlapped AT&T and Frontier CAF II eligible areas as well. Neither carrier filed comments opposing these applications.

• Amherst Telephone Company Town of Hull project; • ChoiceTel Town of Land O’Lakes project; • Town of Dunn project; • Merrimac Communications Town of Sumpter project; • Oneida County EDC project; • Wittenberg Wireless Crestwood School project; and • Wittenberg Wireless Village of White Lake project.

3. Product and Service Innovation.

A third additional factor that the Commission may wish to take into account is the opportunity to support new and innovative products. In the Telemedicine grant program, the

Commission has given additional weight to proposals offering to try new equipment or services, or offering to use existing equipment in a different application. If the trial is successful, information about the product is shared within the industry, and the equipment or service can be adapted for other customers to use in the future.

The Commission may have a similar opportunity in this grant cycle. As noted above,

Ethoplex LLC is proposing to deploy fixed wireless equipment with a markedly better speed than has been available for fixed wireless to date. In Milwaukee County, Ethoplex LLC is proposing to offer a 500 Mbps fixed wireless service for $90 per month. One drawback is that Ethoplex would have to deploy more antennas than other fixed wireless systems. The equipment Ethoplex would use is strictly line of sight, and the signal degrades over distances of about one mile in radius. This may limit this type of broadband service to areas with high customer density.

Nonetheless, this proposal offers a wireless broadband option that could compete with fiber and cable as a viable high-end alternative in some markets.

Ethoplex is proposing to use a version of this equipment to serve one subdivision in the

Town of Oconomowoc. The microwave backhaul supporting this antenna location limits the service available to 100 Mbps down/10 Mbps up. But even at this reduced speed, the

Commission may find that the Town of Oconomowoc is a useful place to try this wireless equipment to see if it can deliver the speed and reliability the manufacturer has advertised.

Commission Decision

Commission staff requests that the Commission review the grant applications that have been submitted and decide which applications should be funded. To assist the Commission,

Commission staff has provide a summary of the applications below in Appendix A, and has attached the panel recommendation as Attachment 1. These materials are offered as a useful starting point for the Commission’s analysis. The application summary and panel recommendation are simply one opinion regarding the relative merit of the applications, and are not binding upon the Commission.

Commission Alternatives

Alternative One: The Commission reviewed the applications for broadband expansion grants and determined which applicants should receive a grant award in Fiscal Year 2017.

Alternative Two: The Commission reviewed the applications for broadband expansion grants and remanded the matter back to Commission staff for additional investigation.

SK:DK:DL: 01417904

Key Background Documents 1. Wis. Stat. ch. 196 (s. 196.504 begins on p. 58) 2. Panel recommendation (DL: 1420231)

Appendix A

1. Amherst Telephone Co.-Town of Hull Project

GRANT REQUEST: $150,000 (28.1%), Match $382,921 (71.9%), Total project cost $532,921

TYPE OF SERVICE: Fiber to the Home/Premises

PROJECT PARTNERS: Amherst Telephone Company Town of Hull

IMPACT: 130 locations likely served; $1,153.85 in grant funds per location served

This project proposes to build a fiber to the home (FTTH) service in rural Portage

County, northeast of Stevens Point, Wisconsin. The 16-mile fiber route will build past

167 residential and business locations in three townships: Hull, Dewey, and Sharon. Based

upon Commission experience with other FTTH projects, it is likely that Amherst will connect

70 to 80 percent of the homes it passes, or 130 locations. The cost of this project is approximately $33,000 per route mile, or $1,153 per location.

Amherst Telephone Company has entered into a formal partnership agreement with the

Township of Hull, in Portage County, Wisconsin. Under the agreement, Amherst will contribute

the matching funds (in the form of construction costs and directly attributable salary costs), and

build, operate and maintain the broadband service. The Town of Hull (on behalf of itself and

Dewey and Sharon) will waive fees and expenses for obtaining permits or permissions from local

governments, and will grant permission on or across Town property to build the facility.

The project area has no existing broadband service meeting the 25/3 Mbps service

standard. Charter advertises a cable broadband in portions of central Portage County, but the

applicants assert that the service is not available in the project area. Two fixed wireless

providers, Brown County CLEC and King Street Wireless, L.P., provide a fixed wireless service

in the area. This project overlaps AT&T CAF II area in the Town of Dewey portion of the project. The Town of Hull portion is not eligible for CAF II funding.

The project is scalable. Amherst plans to install a fiber route of sufficient size to expand to areas adjacent to the project area as customer demand permits. The fiber service will support a variety of business applications. However, the focus of this project is on improving service in residential areas outside of Stevens Point.

Application PSC REF#: 287394 O. Phillip Idsvoog, Chairperson, Portage In support PSC REF#: 287394 County Board of Supervisors Patty Dreier, County Executive, Portage In support PSC REF#: 287514 County Todd Kuckkahn, Executive Director, Portage In support PSC REF#: 287394 County Business Council Peter and Susan Kohnen In support PSC REF#: 287394 Jeffery Check, Chairman, Town of Sharon In support PSC REF#: 287394 Dennis Hintz, Chairman, Town of Dewey In support PSC REF#: 287394 Brian Casey, Director of Technology, In support PSC REF#: 287394 Stevens Point Area Public School District Sheila Kieliszewski In support PSC REF#: 287394 Kelly Hintz In support PSC REF#: 287394 Sara Brish, Executive Director, Stevens In support PSC REF#: 287394 Point Area Convention & Visitors Bureau Jon R. Vollendorf, Principal, Stevens Point In support PSC REF#: 287394 Area Senior High School Shelley Strojny In support PSC REF#: 287394 Bill Esbeck, Executive Director, Wisconsin In support PSC REF#: 287394 State Telecommunications Association Rep Nancy VanderMeer In support PSC REF#: 288370

2. Black Earth Telephone Co., d/b/a TDS Telecom-Town of Berry Project

GRANT REQUEST: $156,500 (50.0%), Match $156,500 (50.0%), Total project cost $313,000

TYPE OF SERVICE: DSL

IMPACT: 166 locations likely served; $939.76 in grant funds per location served

This project proposes to build a DSL service in rural Dane County, northeast of the

Village of Black Earth, Wisconsin. TDS would provide DSL service to 166 households in the

Town of Berry.

The project does not propose a public-private partnership. However, the Town of Berry supports the application and has indicated its willingness to work with TDS to facilitate deployment of broadband facilities. In his letter, the Town Chair indicates that the Town will adopt aspects of the Broadband Forward! Community model ordinance, including providing a single point of contact regarding broadband matters, waiving any fees for the portion of the project within the Town of Berry, and expediting the approval of any permits required from the town.

This area has no existing broadband service meeting the 25/3 Mbps service standard.

The state broadband map indicates that some wireless broadband service might be available.

However, residents of the area have complained in the past that the wireless broadband service is inadequate and unreliable due the topography of the area.

All of the Town of Berry locations are in a census block (or blocks) that the Federal

Communications Commission (FCC) has determined to be unserved for purposes of the Connect

America Fund: Alternative Connect America Cost Model proceeding for rate-of-return companies (CAF: A-CAM). The FCC recently concluded the challenge process to determine

the final list of supported locations. The FCC is expected to issue a public notice and offer of

support in the A-CAM proceeding at the end of July or early August. TDS Telecom will decide in the fourth quarter of 2016 whether to accept the offer of support under the A-CAM order. If

TDS accepts the CAF support, it will receive the support specified in the A-CAM order, and will commit to upgrade its local exchange facilities by 2027 to meet the FCC standard for broadband service. If TDS elects not to accept the CAF support, it will continue to receive a rate of return of 9.25 percent on its capital investment in the interstate portion of its local exchange facilities and will receive any other high-cost universal service support carried forward from the prior compensation rules.

TDS’ offer of matching funds in this application was developed based on its own network

infrastructure calculation on a cost per household passed formula and other internal business case

parameters. TDS’ offer of matching funds does not depend upon the election TDS will make

once the FCC’s final offer in the A-CAM proceeding is known.

This is the third year that TDS/Black Earth Telephone Co. has applied for a broadband

grant for the Town of Berry area. Applications in FY 2014 and FY 2015 were denied.

Application PSC REF#: 287285 Anthony Varda, Chair, Town of Berry Town In support PSC REF#: 287285 Board Brenda Kahl, Town of Berry Clerk/Treasurer In support PSC REF#: 287285 State Senator Jon Erpenbach In support PSC REF#: 287285 State Representative Dianne Hesselbein In support PSC REF#: 287285 Bill Esbeck, Executive Director, Wisconsin In support PSC REF#: 287345 State Telecommunications Association

3. Black Earth Telephone Co., d/b/a TDS Telecom-Town of Vermont Project

GRANT REQUEST: $291,500 (50.0%), Match $291,500 (50.0%), Total project cost $583,000

TYPE OF SERVICE: DSL

IMPACT: 295 locations likely served; $988.14 in grant funds per location served

This project proposes to build a DSL service in rural Dane County, south of the Village of Black Earth, Wisconsin. TDS would provide DSL service to 327 households in the Town of

Vermont.

The application does not propose a public-private partnership. The Town of Vermont commented in support of the application.

This area has no existing broadband service meeting the 25/3 Mbps service standard.

Charter provides a cable service within Black Earth. TDS also offers a DSL service with a maximum speed 30 Mbps down within the village. Service options in the rural area south of the village are limited.

All of the Town of Vermont locations are in a census block (or blocks) that the FCC has determined to be unserved for purposes of the A-CAM order for rate-of-return companies. The

FCC is expected to issue a public notice and offer of support in the CAF: A-CAM proceeding in

July. TDS Telecom will decide in the fourth quarter of 2016 whether to accept the offer of support under the A-CAM order.

Application PSC REF#: 287286 U.S. Representative Mark Pocan In support PSC REF#: 287286 Barbara Grenlie, Chair, Town of Vermont In support PSC REF#: 287286 Bill Esbeck, Executive Director, Wisconsin In support PSC REF#: 287345 State Telecommunications Association

4. CCI Systems, Inc., d/b/a Packerland Broadband-Trump Lake Project

GRANT REQUEST: $53,079.89 (32.2%), Match $112,000 (67.8%), Total project cost $165,079.89

TYPE OF SERVICE: Highbred Fiber/Coax (a combination of fiber and coaxial cable)

IMPACT: 125 locations likely served; $424.64 in grant funds per location served

This project proposes to build a 3.75 mile fiber/coax route to Trump Lake, north of

Wabeno in Forest County, Wisconsin. The route will pass 155 locations (70 locations are

seasonal residences).

This project does not propose a public-private partnership. CCI Systems will contribute all of the matching funds.

This area has no existing broadband service meeting the 25/3 Mbps service standard.

CenturyLink has informed the residents of Trump Lake that it will not sign up additional residences because its facilities are at capacity. This project will overlap CenturyLink CAF II area.

CenturyLink objects to this application. CenturyLink argues that this project will have limited impact since the project area is very rural with a large number of seasonal homes.

CenturyLink also states that it will upgrade its telephone service in the Wabeno exchange in

2017 and argues that the Commission should not use grant funds to benefit a competing service provider in this area.

This project does not appear to be scalable. It is likely limited to the potential customers identified in the application. CCI makes the argument that this project would enhance economic development in the area by providing an incentive for seasonal residents to stay longer in their summer homes.

Application PSC REF#: 287364 Paul Ehlinger, Chairman, Jim Smith, In support PSC REF#: 287364 Supervisor, Nancy Schuhart, Supervisor, Town of Wabeno (e-mail messages from Paul Ehlinger and Nancy Schuhart as well) Rick Wickershiem, President, Trump Lake In support PSC REF#: 287364 Protective Association Jim Schmitz In support PSC REF#: 287364 Bruce & Mary Beck In support PSC REF#: 287364 Doug Diny In support PSC REF#: 287364 Mark Coenen In support PSC REF#: 287364 Kristen Macomber In support PSC REF#: 287364 Stacy Wickershiem In support PSC REF#: 287364 Rob Schrader In support PSC REF#: 287364 Jim Mennen In support PSC REF#: 287364 Robert Wanke In support PSC REF#: 287364 Bonnie & Ray Smith In support PSC REF#: 287364 [email protected] In support PSC REF#: 287364 Tom & Barb Barborich In support PSC REF#: 287364 Andy & Tricia Knotek In support PSC REF#: 287364 Howard & Sue Neider In support PSC REF#: 287364 Kay Swanson In support PSC REF#: 287364 Brian and Nicole Kerrigan In support PSC REF#: 287364 [email protected] In support PSC REF#: 287364 Frederick Richmond In support PSC REF#: 287364 CenturyLink In PSC REF#: 288540 opposition

5. CenturyTel of the Midwest-Kendall, LLC, d/b/a CenturyLink–Baraboo Project

GRANT REQUEST: $167,300 (35.0%), Match $310,700 (65.0%), Total project cost $478,000

TYPE OF SERVICE: Fiber backbone and Fiber to the Home/Premises

IMPACT: 255 locations likely served; $656.08 in grant funds per location served

This project proposes to build a 9-mile fiber route in the central and northeast portion of the City of Baraboo, Wisconsin. The route will pass 461 locations (11 businesses and

450 residences) in the underserved portion of the project area. CenturyLink currently provides

DSL service to 140 locations in the project area. It anticipates that if this project is built, an

additional 115 locations could be connected within 24 months, or a total of 255 locations served.

The route will also pass about 49 locations in the served portion of the Baraboo project. Cost per

route mile is about $53,000.

This project does not propose a public-private partnership. CenturyLink is contributing

all of matching funds.

This is an underserved area. CharterLink advertises speeds in the project area in excess of the 25/3 standard. However, CenturyLink is the other significant provider in the project area, and it offers an internet service limited to 1.5 Mbps down. The project area is not eligible for

CAF II funds.

Charter objects to this grant application. Charter argues that the proposed project would overlap areas that are currently served. Charter believes that both Charter and CenturyLink provide service at speeds above 25/3 in the project area. CenturyLink does not disagree. In its application, CenturyLink identifies 31 locations in a served area adjacent to the project area that would receive upgraded service as a result of this project. Those locations are in addition to those discussed for purposes of this grant application.

This project is scalable. Spare fiber capacity in the project plans will permit CenturyLink to add locations within the project area and also expand to adjacent areas in the Baraboo area.

CenturyLink is replacing an existing DSL service with speed and capacity limitations with a fiber service that will accommodate customer orders up to 1 Gigabyte per second (Gbps) without capacity restrictions.

CenturyLink has listed its applications in its order of priority. CenturyLink regards the

Baraboo project as its most important application.

Application PSC REF#: 287347 Charter Communications In opposition PSC REF#: 288599

6. CenturyTel of the Midwest-Kendall, LLC, d/b/a CenturyLink–City of Peshtigo Project

GRANT REQUEST: $39,900 (30.0%), Match $93,100 (70.0%), Total project cost $133,000

TYPE OF SERVICE: Fiber backbone and Fiber to the Home/Premises

PROJECT PARTNERS: CenturyTel of the Midwest-Kendall, LLC, d/b/a CenturyLink City of Peshtigo

IMPACT: 175 locations likely served; $228.00 in grant funds per location served

This project proposes to build a 2.4-mile fiber route in the Peshtigo Industrial Park in the

City of Peshtigo, Wisconsin. Cost per route mile is about $55,417. CenturyLink currently provides broadband service to 66 locations. It anticipates that if this project is built, an additional 109 locations could be connected within 24 months, or a total of 175 locations served.

This project does propose a public-private partnership. The partnership has not been reduced to writing. The city has agreed to waive fees for permits and easements. CenturyLink will build, own and operate the fiber facility, and contribute the matching funds to the project.

This area has no existing broadband service meeting the 25/3 Mbps service standard.

CenturyLink provides an internet service in the project area, limited to 6 Mbps down. Time

Charter provides a cable service in Peshtigo and advertises a speed of 50/5. However, some commenters indicate that speed is not available in the project area. The project area itself is not eligible for CAF II funding. The adjacent area immediately east of the project area is a

CenturyLink CAF II eligible area.

The project is scalable and targets economic development. CenturyLink is installing sufficient fiber facilities to support significant residential and business development if the City’s

Industrial Park project comes together as planned. The substantial improvement in broadband

speeds (from 6 Mbps to 1 Gbps) is seen as a significant incentive for further economic growth in the park and adjacent areas.

Application PSC REF#: 287348 Cathi Malke, Mayor, City of Peshtigo In support PSC REF#: 287348 U.S. Representative Reid Ribble In support PSC REF#: 287348 State Senator Dave Hansen In support PSC REF#: 287348 State Representative John Nygren In support PSC REF#: 286936 Dale Lange, President, Peshtigo Area In support PSC REF#: 287348 Economic Development Corporation Kirsten Peters, Past President, Peshtigo In support PSC REF#: 287348 Chamber of Commerce Shawn Henessee, County Administrator, In support PSC REF#: 287348 Marinette County Kevin Solway, Director of Information In support PSC REF#: 287348 Services, Marinette County Eric Anderson, President, Cindy Anderson, In support PSC REF#: 287348 Secretary, CRM Corporation Joseph Beranek, President and Owner, In support PSC REF#: 287348 Evergreen Tool Company Mary E Kozak & Joseph H Krawczyk, In support PSC REF#: 287348 Owners, Field and Forest Products, Inc. Keith Anderson & Michaela Anderson, Co- In support PSC REF#: 287348 Owners, Iconik Etchings and Innovations, LLC Edward Jardanowski, Owner, Nelson Freight In support PSC REF#: 287348 Service, Inc. Ann Hartnell, Executive Director, Marinette In support PSC REF#: 287348 County Association for Business & Industry, Inc. Eric W. Fowle, Executive Director, East In support PSC REF#: 287348 Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission Cindy J Wojtczak, Executive Director, Bay- In support PSC REF#: 287348 Lake Regional Planning Commission

7. Telephone USA of Wisconsin, LLC, d/b/a CenturyLink–Berry Lake Project

GRANT REQUEST: $134,625 (50.0%), Match $134,625 (50.0%), Total project cost $269,250

TYPE OF SERVICE: Fiber backbone and DSL service

IMPACT: 190 locations likely served; $708.55 in grant funds per location served

This project proposes to build an 8.37-mile fiber route in Oconto County to support an

upgraded DSL service in the vicinity of Berry Lake, Wisconsin. There are 2 businesses and 314

residential locations within the service radius of the Berry Lake project. CenturyLink currently provides broadband service to 67 locations. It anticipates that if this project is built, an additional 123 locations could be connected within 24 months, or a total of 190 locations served.

This project does not propose a public-private partnership. Nonetheless, the project has received letters of support and financial commitments from local governments and private groups in the following amounts: Town of Underhill, $1,000; Oconto County EDC, $500;

Oconto County, $500; the Berry Lake Association, the Berry Lake Property Owners and the

Underhill Sportsmen Club will collectively contribute $1,000. CenturyLink will contribute the remaining $131,625 in matching funds.

This area has no existing broadband service meeting the 25/3 Mbps service standard.

CenturyLink currently provides an internet service in the project area, limited to a maximum speed of 1.5 Mbps down. Also, CenturyLink’s facilities in western Oconto County are at capacity, and cannot accommodate additional service requests. Charter provides service to a portion of the census block that includes Lake Berry. However, some commenters indicate that service is not available in the project area.

This project will build past 3 locations that are within CenturyLink’s CAF II eligible areas. CenturyLink states that it will not use any CAF II support for these locations. Rather,

CenturyLink plans to use the CAF II support to enable other CAF II eligible locations within

Wisconsin. CenturyLink will use the state broadband grant funds and CenturyLink’s own matching funds and in-kind contributions to pay for this project.

As part of this project, CenturyLink is reinforcing the amount of fiber facilities that are available in Oconto County west of Gillett, Wisconsin. This will relieve the current issue of exhausted capacity and accommodate additional residential and business growth in the Berry

Lake area.

Application PSC REF#: 287350 Paul W Ehrfurth, Executive Director, Oconto In support PSC REF#: 287350 County EDC Resolution of the Oconto County Board In support PSC REF#: 287350 supporting the project and offer to contribute $500. Senator Tom Tiffany and In support PSC REF#: 287154 Representative Jeff Mursau Peter Vorpahl, Chair, Township of Underhill In support PSC REF#: 287156 James Rather, Secretary, Berry Lake Assoc. In support PSC REF#: 287155 letter of support and offer to contribute a third of $1,000 in match Jim DePrey, President, Berry Lake Property In support PSC REF#: 287350 Owners Association, Inc. letter of support and offer to contribute a third of $1,000 in match Jane Kitzman, Secretary, Underhill In support PSC REF#: 287196 Sportsman’s Club letter of support and offer to contribute a third of $1,000 in match US Rep Reid Ribble In support PSC REF#: 288371 Leland T Rymer, Chairman, Oconto County In support PSC REF#: 288429 Board of Supervisors, supporting the project and offer to contribute $500 Lynne Martin Erickson In support PSC REF#: 288454 Tony Watson In support PSC REF#: 288610 Dave Green, Director, Northern Grace Youth In support PSC REF#: 288676 Camp Carol & Marc Asselmeier In support PSC REF#: 288677 John Holman In support PSC REF#: 288678 Jeananne Greenwood In support PSC REF#: 288679 Aleta Elko In support PSC REF#: 288685 Tony Watson In support PSC REF#: 288686

Bill Voecks In support PSC REF#: 288687 Mia Stein-Kodzik In support PSC REF#: 288688 Christopher Erickson In support PSC REF#: 288691 Jennifer McDermot In support PSC REF#: 288692 William & Karen Stiles In support PSC REF#: 288693 Gin Rohan & Scott Harris In support PSC REF#: 288694 Jack Christiansen In support PSC REF#: 288696 Berry Lake Association In support PSC REF#: 288695 Jim Rather In support PSC REF#: 288609 David Poffinbarger In support PSC REF#: 288760

8. Telephone USA of Wisconsin, LLC, d/b/a CenturyLink-Colfax Area Project

GRANT REQUEST: $140,000 (50.0%), Match $140,000 (50.0%), Total project cost $280,000

TYPE OF SERVICE: Fiber backbone and DSL service

IMPACT: 138 locations likely served; $1,014.49 in grant funds per location served

This project proposes to build an 8-mile fiber route in Dunn County, Wisconsin, to

support an upgraded DSL service in two areas, one west of Colfax (Hammer Road) and the other

south of Colfax (Tower Road). CenturyLink currently provides broadband service to

91 locations. It anticipates that if this project is built, an additional 47 locations could be connected within 24 months, or a total of 138 locations served.

This project does not propose a public-private partnership. Nonetheless, the project has received letters from the Dunn County EDC and the Greater Menomonie Development

Corporation indicating local support for this project.

This area includes sections with no existing broadband service meeting the 25/3 Mbps service standard (Tower Road) and underserved areas (Hammer Road). CenturyLink currently provides an internet service in the project area, limited to a maximum speed of 1.5 Mbps down.

Also, Century’s facilities in rural Dunn County are at capacity, and cannot accommodate additional service requests. Charter provides service along Hammer Road at a speed well above

the 25/3 standard. 24-7 Telcom provides service in both the Hammer Road and Tower Road areas at a speed up to 10 Mbps. However, the application indicates that the Charter and 24-7 services may not be available in the project area.

This project will build past 25 locations that are within CenturyLink’s CAF II eligible areas. CenturyLink states that it will not use any CAF II support for these locations. Rather,

CenturyLink plans to use the CAF II support to enable other CAF II eligible locations within

Wisconsin. CenturyLink will use the state broadband grant funds and CenturyLink’s own matching funds and in-kind contributions to pay for this project.

Charter objects to this grant application. Charter argues that the proposed project area overlaps an area served by both Charter and West Wisconsin Telephone Cooperative, d/b/a

24-7 Telcom. However, the state broadband map does not indicate that 24-7 Telcom provides service meeting the 25/3 standard in the project area.

As part of this project, CenturyLink is reinforcing the amount of fiber facilities available in rural Dunn County, Wisconsin. This will address the current issue of exhausted capacity.

Given the proximity to Menomonie, Eau Claire and Chippewa Falls, this project area could see additional residential growth in the project areas with improved broadband access.

Application PSC REF#: 287351 Kathryn L Otto, Board Vice Chairperson, In support PSC REF#: 287351 Dunn County Economic Development Corporation Eric S. Turner, Executive Board Secretary, In Support PSC REF#: 287351 Greater Menomonie Development Corp Charter Communications In PSC REF#: 288599 opposition

9. CenturyTel of the Midwest-Kendall, LLC, d/b/a CenturyLink-Big Top Chautauqua Project

GRANT REQUEST: $25,000 (43.9%), Match $32,000 (56.1%), Total project cost $57,000

TYPE OF SERVICE: Fiber to the Home/Premises and DSL

PROJECT PARTNERS: CenturyTel of the Midwest-Kendall, LLC, d/b/a CenturyLink Big Top Chautauqua/Ashwabay Outdoor Educational Foundation

IMPACT: 66 locations likely served; $378.79 in grant funds per location served

This project proposes to build a fiber route along Ski Hill Road in Bayfield County,

Wisconsin. The route will provide 1 Gbps both down and up to the Big Top

Chautauqua/Ashwabay Outdoor Education Foundation (AOEF) site. This level of service will

support the business operations of both enterprises, and also provide support for a WiFi service

for approximately 48,000 guests annually.

The project would also locate a DSL service node along Ski Hill Road. CenturyLink

currently provides broadband service to 52 locations in the area. These locations would be

upgraded. CenturyLink anticipates that if this project is built, an additional 12 locations could be

connected within 24 months, or a total of 64 locations served.

This application proposes a public-private partnership. The partnership has not been reduced to writing. Big Top/AOEF will own and operate the WiFi equipment, and contribute

$7,000 in matching funds to the project (the cost of the WiFi equipment). CenturyLink will build, own and operate the fiber facility, and contribute $25,000 in matching funds to the project.

This area has no existing broadband service meeting the 25/3 Mbps service standard.

CenturyLink currently provides an internet service in the project area, limited to a maximum

speed of 10 Mbps down. CenturyLink is not eligible for CAF II funding along Ski Hill Road.

The proposed DSL service may overlap CenturyLink CAF II areas adjacent to Ski Hill Road.

Charter may provide service to a portion of the census block that includes Ski Hill Road.

However, the application indicates that the Charter service is not available at the Big Top

Chautauqua site.

This is the second time that a carrier has applied for a broadband grant to provide broadband service to Big Top Chautauqua. In the FY 2016 grant cycle, the application of

Norvado to provide service to Big Top/AOEF was denied.

Application PSC REF#: 287354 Scottie Sandstrom, Executive Director, In support PSC REF#: 287354 Bayfield County EDC Senator Janet Bewley In support PSC REF#: 287354 Representative Beth Meyers In support PSC REF#: 287354 Debra S Lewis, Mayor City of Ashland In support PSC REF#: 287354 Mark Abeles-Allison In support PSC REF#: 288419

10. CenturyTel of Central Wisconsin, LLC, d/b/a CenturyLink-Hickory Park Project

GRANT REQUEST: $10,000 (25.0%), Match $30,000 (75.0%), Total project cost $40,000

TYPE OF SERVICE: DSL

IMPACT: 190 locations likely served; $52.63 in grant funds per location served

This project proposes to update the electronics at the Hickory Park subdivision, south of

Eau Claire in Eau Claire County, Wisconsin. CenturyLink currently provides DSL broadband service to 96 locations in the project area. CenturyLink anticipates that with the upgraded service it will add an additional 94 broadband subscribers within 24 months, or a total of

190 locations served.

This project does not propose a public-private partnership. But CenturyLink has provided letters indicating local support for this project.

This is an underserved area. It is not eligible for CAF funding. CenturyLink currently

provides an internet service in the project area, limited to a maximum speed of 6 Mbps down.

Also, Century’s facilities in rural Eau Claire County are at capacity, and cannot accommodate

additional service requests. Charter provides service in the Hickory Park subdivision at a speed

up to 1 Gbps down/6 Mbps up. This project area is not eligible for CAF II funding.

The upgraded service will relieve the capacity issue that currently exists. The upgraded

electronics at the service node will support a DSL service with a maximum speed of 100 Mbps down. The fiber to the service node will support an upgrade to fiber to the home service if demand for the service develops.

Application PSC REF#: 287355 Don Hanson, Chairperson, Town of Pleasant In support PSC REF#: 287355 Valley Dave Hayden, Information Systems Director, In support PSC REF#: 287355 Eau Claire County

11. Chequamegon Communications Cooperative, Inc. (CCCI), d/b/a Norvado-Town of Barnes Project

GRANT REQUEST: $115,000 (35.7%), Match $207,012 (64.3%), Total project cost $322,012

TYPE OF SERVICE: Fiber backbone and Fiber to the Home/Premises

IMPACT: 31 locations likely served; $3,709.68 in grant funds per location served

This project proposes to build fiber to the home service in the vicinity of Tomahawk

Lake in Town of Barnes in Bayfield County, Wisconsin. The route will build past 85 homes and

15 businesses, including the Town’s government offices, road department and EMS building.

CCCI expects to initially serve 22 homes and 9 businesses along this route. The remaining

homes and businesses may receive the same FTTH service with just a service drop from the

adjacent fiber route.

The application does not propose a public-private partnership. However, the Town of

Barnes will contribute $5,000 in matching funds toward the cost of the project.

This area has no existing broadband service meeting the 25/3 Mbps service standard.

CCCI provides a DSL service and a fixed wireless service in areas within the township at speeds

below the 25/3 Mbps standard. AT&T Mobility and Verizon Wireless provide a 4G LTE mobile

service in the area, likely along Highway 27 between Hayward and the Brule River State Forest

area.

This project may result in some additional business development. The project supporters

hope that improved broadband will cause tourists to choose this area for summer recreation over

other locations.

Application PSC REF#: 287059 Tom Krob, Chairman, Town of Barnes In support PSC REF#: 287059 Scottie Sandstrom, Bayfield County EDC In support PSC REF#: 287059 PSC REF#: 287220 Mark Abeles-Allison, Bayfield County In support PSC REF#: 286932 Administrator Cliff Albertson, Badger State Chapter, In support PSC REF#: 287059 Independent Telecommunications Pioneers Association Mark Abeles-Allison In support PSC REF#: 288419

12. Chibardun Telephone Cooperative-Clinton Area Project

GRANT REQUEST: $38,477 (35.7%), Match $42,000 (64.3%), Total project cost $80,477

TYPE OF SERVICE: Fiber backbone and Fiber to the Home/Premises

IMPACT: 14 locations likely served; $2,748.36 in grant funds per location served

This project proposes to build fiber to the home service in the Town of Clinton in Barron

County, Wisconsin, just north of Poskin. The route will build past 13 farms and 1 business

location.

The application does not propose a public-private partnership at this time, although the application indicates that the partners hope to complete the agreement by the end of the public comment period. Chibardun Telephone Cooperative and Indianhead Holsteins will each contribute $21,000 to the project in the form of construction costs and directly attributable salary costs.

This area has no existing broadband service meeting the 25/3 Mbps service standard.

The incumbent local exchange carrier is CenturyLink. The project is in the southern portion of

CenturyLink’s Barron exchange. CenturyLink only offers a dial-up internet service to customers in the project area. There may be some mobile wireless service in the area. However, in the view of the commenting parties, the mobile wireless service is unreliable.

CenturyLink objects to this application. CenturyLink proposes to use its CAF II funds to upgrade the telephone service in the Barron exchange in 2017. CenturyLink argues that the available grant funds would be better spent in other areas.

This project area is not eligible for CAF II funds. This area is likely part of a census block that includes the CTC Dallas exchange, which is served throughout with FTTH service.

The impact of this project is likely limited to the 13 farms along the project route.

Application PSC REF#: 287386 Jeffrey French, County Administrator, In support PSC REF#: 287212 Barron County Representative Romaine Quinn In support PSC REF#: 287386 Bill Esbeck, Executive Director, Wisconsin In support PSC REF#: 287386 State Telecommunications Association CenturyLink In opposition PSC REF#: 288540 Zach Schauf 2 In support PSC REF#: 289485

2 The letter from Mr. Zach Schauf was submitted late. The Commission has the discretion to consider the letter or not in making its grant award decision. 19

13. ChoiceTel-Town of Land O’Lakes Project, Phase II

GRANT REQUEST: $204,321.50 (50.0%), Match $204,321.50 (50.0%), Total project cost $408,643.00

TYPE OF SERVICE: Fiber to the Home/Premises

PROJECT PARTNERS: ChoiceTel Town of Land O’Lakes

IMPACT: 850 locations likely served; $240.38 in grant funds per location served

This project proposes to build a 50-mile fiber to the home service in the Town of Land

O’Lakes in Vilas County, Wisconsin. Last year, ChoiceTel received a broadband expansion

grant to extend its service from Eagle River to the Town of Land of Lakes. With the FY 2016

grant, ChoiceTel is in the midst of building an 18-mile fiber route to Land O’Lakes, as well as a telecommunications hut and remote service node in Land O’Lakes. ChoiceTel expects to connect 280 business and residential locations as part of the FY 2016 grant project. This year’s project would connect as many as 850 additional business and residential locations to the telecommunications facility in Land O’Lakes.

This project extends the partnership from last year. Last year, the Town of Land O’Lakes pledged to provide $249,092.40 in matching funds. The town has already paid out $120,112.90 of that match. The town again pledges to provide $204,321.50 in matching funds as its contribution to this project. ChoiceTel would build out the fiber facility and install the service to each home and business, and own, operate and maintain the communications facilities and service.

This area has no existing broadband service meeting the 25/3 Mbps service standard.

Frontier advertises a download speed of 20 Mbps in portions of the project area. However, the applicants comment that Frontier’s speed is actually much slower. Much of this project area

overlaps a Frontier CAF II funding area, which means Frontier has reported speeds less than 10/1 in its filings with the FCC. SonicNet provides a fixed wireless service with a maximum speed of

10/2 Mbps in portion of the project area. A cable television provider, Three Lakes Cable TV, provides an internet service with a maximum advertised speed of 25/3 in portions of the project area.

Application PSC REF#: 287416 Bridget Gross In support PSC REF#: 288448

14. Citizens Telephone Cooperative, Inc.-Long Lake Project

GRANT REQUEST: $16,128 (50.0%), Match $16,128 (50.0%), Total project cost $32,256

TYPE OF SERVICE: Fiber to the Home/Premises

IMPACT: 10 locations likely served; $1,612.80 in grant funds per location served

This project proposes to build fiber to the home service in the vicinity of Long Lake in the Town of Sampson in Chippewa County, Wisconsin. The project will upgrade broadband service to 10 homes. The application emphasizes that two of those homes are owned by physicians that could use improved broadband service for their practices.

The application does not propose a public-private partnership.

This area has no existing broadband service meeting the 25/3 Mbps service standard.

Citizens Telephone Cooperative provides FTTH service throughout most of its New Auburn and

Long Lake exchanges. 267th Avenue appears to be one of the isolated areas in the exchanges that still needs to be upgraded.

The impact of this project appears to be limited to the 10 homes on the project route.

Application PSC REF#: 287262

15. Citizens Telephone Cooperative, Inc.-Pine Lake Project

GRANT REQUEST: $34,605 (50.0%), Match $34,605 (50.0%), Total project cost $69,210

TYPE OF SERVICE: Fiber to the Home/Premises

IMPACT: 10 locations likely served; $3,460.50 in grant funds per location served

This project proposes to build fiber to the home service in the vicinity of Fish Lake and

Pine Lake in the Town of Rusk in Rusk County, Wisconsin. The project will upgrade broadband service to 10 homes.

The application does not propose a public-private partnership.

This area has no existing broadband service meeting the 25/3 Mbps service standard.

Citizens Telephone Coop provides FTTH service throughout most of its New Auburn and Long

Lake exchanges. This route would run west along Bear Lake Road into CenturyLink’s Chetek exchange. This project overlaps CenturyLink CAF II area.

The impact of this project appears to be limited to the 10 homes along Bear Lake Road.

Application PSC REF#: 287263

16. Town of Delavan-Charter Communications Project

GRANT REQUEST: $19,783 (50.0%), Match $19,782.54 (50.0%), Total project cost $39,565.54

TYPE OF SERVICE: Cable

PROJECT PARTNERS: Town of Delavan Charter Communications

IMPACT: 16 locations likely served; $1,236.44 in grant funds per location served

This project proposes to build Charter cable television and internet service along Theatre

Road in the Town of Delavan in Walworth County, Wisconsin. The route will build past

16 homes.

The Town and Charter proposes a public-private partnership. Charter will build, own and operate the cable facility. Charter will also contribute the matching funds. The Town will manage the grant application.

This area has no existing broadband service meeting the 25/3 Mbps service standard.

The homes along Theatre Road are limited to internet access through satellite and mobile wireless services. This project area is not eligible for CAF II funding.

The impact of this project appears to be limited to the 16 homes along the project route.

This is the second year that the Town of Delavan and Charter Communications have applied for a broadband grant for this area. The applications in FY 2016 were denied.

Application PSC REF#: 287383 Eric Goes, 3162 Theatre Road In support PSC REF#: 287383

17. Door County Broadband, LLC – Door County Project

GRANT REQUEST: $207,781.20 (81.8%), Match $46,350 (18.2%), Total project cost $254,131.20

TYPE OF SERVICE: Fixed Wireless Internet and VoIP service

IMPACT: 800 locations likely served; $259.73 in grant funds per location served

This project proposes to build a fixed wireless service that will reach all of the homes and businesses in Door County, Wisconsin. The project would install 60 new access points on

15 towers throughout the county. The new installations will improve 200 existing customers.

The applicant projects that Door County Broadband will add an additional 800 subscribers in the

2-year period after the project is installed and operating.

The application does not propose a public-private partnership.

This area has both sections with no existing broadband service meeting the 25/3 Mbps

service standard and sections that are underserved. Charter provides a cable service in Sturgeon

Bay with an advertised maximum download speed of 1 Gbps. AT&T provides DSL service in

Sturgeon Bay at speeds up to 15 Mbps. Brown County CLEC provides a competing fixed

wireless service in portions of Door County. CenturyLink provides DSL service in the

Forestville, Brussels and Little Sturgeon exchanges in southern Door County at speeds up to 25

Mbps. Frontier provides a DSL service in Egg Harbor, Bailey’s Harbor and Sister Bay at speeds up to 20 Mbps.

This project over laps CenturyLink CAF II areas in the Forestville, Brussels and Little

Sturgeon exchanges, AT&T CAF II areas in the Sturgeon Bay exchange, and Frontier CAF II areas in the Egg Harbor, Bailey’s Harbor and Sister Bay exchanges.

CenturyLink objects to this grant application. CenturyLink notes that this project proposes a low amount of matching funds (just 18 percent of the total project cost). CenturyLink argues that this project would overlap areas that CenturyLink is in the process of upgrading.

Application PSC REF#: 287410 Representative Joel Kitchens In support PSC REF#: 287410 PSC REF#: 287293 William Chaudoir, Executive Director, In support PSC REF#: 287515 Michael Baudhuin, Board Chair, Door County EDC Town of Liberty Grove Resolution 7-16 In support PSC REF#: 287410 Town of Gibraltar Resolution 2016-03 In support PSC REF#: 287410 Zeke Jackson, Administrator, Village of In support PSC REF#: 287410 Sister Bay David Eliot, President, Peninsula Publishing In support PSC REF#: 287410 & Distribution, Inc. Peter E Brooks In support PSC REF#: 287410 David A Studebaker In support PSC REF#: 288249 PSC REF#: 288250 CenturyLink In PSC REF#: 288540 opposition

18. Town of Dunn-Charter Communications Project

GRANT REQUEST: $86,111.80 (50.0%), Match $86,111.81 (50.0%), Total project cost $172,223.61

TYPE OF SERVICE: Cable

PROJECT PARTNERS: Town of Dunn Charter Communications

IMPACT: 86 locations likely served; $1,001.30 in grant funds per location served

This project proposes to build cable television and internet service to 7 business and

79 residential locations in the Town of Dunn in Dane County, Wisconsin.

The Town and Charter propose a public-private partnership. Charter will build, own and operate the cable facility. Charter will also contribute the matching funds. The Town will manage the grant application and waive any permit fees for excavating in the road right-of-way or excavating Town highways.

This area has no existing broadband service meeting the 25/3 Mbps service standard.

The homes along Hawkinson Road are limited to fixed and mobile wireless services. Of the four

subdivisions included in this project, the southern three areas overlap AT&T and Frontier CAF II areas. AT&T has indicated that it intends to provide a fixed wireless service in its CAF II areas in Wisconsin by the end of 2017 that meets the FCC CAF II standard (10/1 Mbps). The north- most subdivision bordered by Schneider Drive and Hawkinson Road is outside of CAF II funding areas.

The impact of this project appears to be limited to the homes and businesses in the project area.

Application PSC REF#: 287404 Application – Exhibit B PSC REF#: 287405 Edmond Minihan, Town of Dunn Chair In support PSC REF#: 287404 Sheriff David Mahoney, Sheriff of Dane In support PSC REF#: 287237 County Town of Dunn Resolution 2016-09 In support PSC REF#: 287404 Representative Robb Kahl In support PSC REF#: 287404 State Senator Mark Miller In support PSC REF#: 287404 Jon Tanner, Technology Director, Oregon In support PSC REF#: 287404 School District Paul Vande Hei, Director of Technology, In support PSC REF#: 287404 Stoughton Area Schools District Andrew Briddell, Superintendent, McFarland In support PSC REF#: 287404 School District Lori Andersen, Director, McFarland Senior In support PSC REF#: 287404 Outreach Services Petition with 62 names In support PSC REF#: 287404 John and Suzanne Severson In support PSC REF#: 287404 Justine and Kelly Jeffery In support PSC REF#: 287404 Marcie Pugh, Minerva Richards In support PSC REF#: 287404 Mary Jane Pellegrinetti In support PSC REF#: 287404 Christine and Charlie Wittleder In support PSC REF#: 287404 Jared and Andrea Hook In support PSC REF#: 287404 Carol and Ralph Braun In support PSC REF#: 287404 Gregory C Lieck In support PSC REF#: 287404 Debbie and Mike Benish In support PSC REF#: 287404

19. Ethoplex LLC-Milwaukee County Project

GRANT REQUEST: $252,105 (49.0%), Match $262,395 (51.0%), Total project cost $514,500

TYPE OF SERVICE: Fixed Wireless Internet Service

IMPACT: 17,500 locations likely served; $14.41 in grant funds per location served

This project proposes to build a fixed wireless service in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin.

The applicant projects that it could serve 17,500 homes and businesses within Milwaukee

County. The application does not identify a particular set of underserved customers.

The application does not propose a public-private partnership.

The key issue with this application is whether there is any underserved area within the project area that would fit within the limits of this grant program. The application does not identify any underserved areas within Milwaukee County that would be specifically addressed by this project. The footprint of this wireless service would overlap several existing broadband services. Throughout Milwaukee County, Time Warner, a cable provider, offers an internet service with an advertised speed of up to 100Mbps down. Several wireline carriers, including

AT&T, TDS Metrocom, Level 3, and MegaPath, offer DSL and fiber service in Milwaukee

County at advertised speeds of up to 50 Mbps.

By definition, a fixed wireless project is limited to the customers with the footprint of the antennas. Thus, the project is not scalable in the sense that it can grow beyond the scope of the initial construction project. However, this project proposes a broadband project that is dramatically better than the wireless services have been able to provide up to now. This project then can be thought to be scalable in the sense that it would provide a meaningful broadband option in the project area that has not existed in the past.

Application PSC REF#: 287407

20. Ethoplex LLC-Town of Oconomowoc Project

GRANT REQUEST: $7,886 (49.0%), Match $8,208 (51.0%), Total project cost $16,094

TYPE OF SERVICE: Fixed Wireless Internet Service

IMPACT: 20 locations likely served; $394.30 in grant funds per location served

This project proposes to build a fixed wireless service to serve 21 locations along

Highlander Road in the Town of Oconomowoc in Waukesha County, Wisconsin. The fixed

wireless service will reach an additional 50 business and residential locations within the footprint

of the service.

The application does not propose a public-private partnership. However, the developer of this residential subdivision, Ralph Cavaiani, has been very involved in recruiting a service partner to provide the broadband service and has also been thoroughly involved in the preparation of the grant application.

This area has no existing broadband service meeting the 25/3 Mbps service standard.

Ralph Cavaiani indicates that no wireline provider has been willing to extend service to this subdivision. The area is within the Frontier Mapleton exchange boundary, but is not eligible for

CAF II funds.

This project is likely not scalable. It appears to be limited to the 21 homes in the subdivision plus a small number of adjacent locations. The project is limited by superior broadband options that exist at the edge of the wireless footprint.

Application PSC REF#: 287411 Ralph Cavaiani In support PSC REF#: 287435 Emil Pfenninger In support PSC REF#: 287491 PSC REF#: 287469 James Lutz & Therese Sgarlata-Lutz In support PSC REF#: 288320 Rep. Joel Kleefish & Sen. Scott Fitzgerald In support PSC REF#: 287466

21. Frontier North Inc.–Town of Weston Project

GRANT REQUEST: $201,750 (40.0%), Match $301,750 (60.0%), Total project cost $503,500

TYPE OF SERVICE: DSL

PROJECT PARTNERS: Frontier North Town of Weston

IMPACT: 1,840 locations likely served; $109.65 in grant funds per location served

This project proposes to build a 10-mile fiber route, upgrade the existing DSL service at three remote terminals and install one new terminal in a housing subdivision southeast of

Wausau in the Town of Weston, Wisconsin. This project will provide approximately

1,245 households with broadband service with a maximum speed of 25/3, and 2,333 households with a maximum speed of 10/1. The project area includes 41 business locations as well.

Frontier does not indicate the number of business and residential locations it actually expects to serve. Given the existence of Charter’s service and several mobile wireless options, it is likely that Frontier currently serves about 50 percent of the locations in the project area.

This application proposes a public-private partnership between Frontier North and the

Town of Weston. The Town has agreed to contribute $50,000 in matching funds to the project.

Frontier expects that Marathon County will also contribute $50,000 to the project. Frontier will build, own, operate and maintain the telephone and DSL facility. Frontier will also contribute

$201,750 in matching funds to the project.

The project area is underserved. Charter provides a cable service in the project area with a maximum advertised speed of 1 Gbps. Frontier’s existing DSL service in the project area has a maximum speed of 1.5 Mbps down. The project area is not eligible for CAF II support.

The project is built to accommodate additional growth in the project area.

Application PSC REF#: 287337 Milton Olson, Chairman, Town of Weston Letter of PSC REF#: 287337 support and financial commitment James F Warsaw, Executive Director, In support PSC REF#: 287337 Marathon County Development Corporation Sen Jerry Petrowski In support PSC REF#: 287541 Rep Dave Heaton In support PSC REF#: 287624

22. Town of Germantown-Charter Communications Project GRANT REQUEST: $56,556.94 (50.0%), Match $56,556.94 (50.0%), Total project cost $113,113.88

TYPE OF SERVICE: Cable

PROJECT PARTNERS: Town of Germantown Charter Communications

IMPACT: 27 locations likely served; $2,094.70 in grant funds per location served This project proposes to extend cable television and internet service to 27 homes just east

of the Highway 41 & 45 interchange, roughly equidistant from Slinger, Jackson and

Germantown. The location is in Town of Germantown in Washington County, Wisconsin.

This application proposes a public-private partnership between the Town of Germantown and Charter. Charter will build, own, operate and maintain the cable facility, and will provide the television and internet service. Charter will also contribute $56,556.94 in matching funds to the project. The Town will manage the grant application and serve as the point of contact for payment of grant funds.

This area has no existing broadband service meeting the 25/3 Mbps service standard.

Charter provides a cable service in the project area with a maximum advertised speed of 1 Gbps.

Frontier’s existing DSL service in the project area has a maximum speed of 1.5 Mbps down.

The project area is not eligible for CAF II support.

Application PSC REF#: 287388 Mike Hill, Charter Communications In support PSC REF#: 287388 Petition with 27 signatures In support PSC REF#: 287388

23. Hagar Telecom, Inc., d/b/a BEVCOMM–Diamond Bluff Area Project

GRANT REQUEST: $43,775.60 (40.0%), Match $65,663.40 (60.0%), Total project cost $109,439

TYPE OF SERVICE: Fiber to the Home/Premises

IMPACT: 35 locations likely served; $1,250.73 in grant funds per location served

This project proposes to build a 1.24-mile fiber route to connect 35 residential locations

in the Town of Diamond Bluff in Pierce County, Wisconsin.

This application does not propose a public-private partnership.

This area has no existing broadband service meeting the 25/3 Mbps service standard.

The broadband map indicates Hagar Telecom (d/b/a BEVCOMM) currently provides a DSL service with a maximum speed of 25/3. The broadband service in the project area is not at this level though. The purpose of this project is to bring the broadband service in the Diamond Bluff area up to the same level of service elsewhere in the Hagar City exchange. The project area is not eligible for CAF II support (Diamond Bluff is served by a rate-of-return carrier), and will likely not be eligible for support from the A-CAM order (no supported locations with service speed less than 10/1). The FCC expects to release its final A-CAM support order in July.

This project has potential for growth. The Hagar City and Bay City telephone exchanges provide an island of FTTH service in Pierce County.

Application PSC REF#: 287233 Application cover letter PSC REF#: 287232 Application – Appendix A (redacted copy) PSC REF#: 287235 Rep Warren Petryk In support PSC REF#: 287233 Beth Kinneman In support PSC REF#: 287233 Chelsey Drew In support PSC REF#: 287233 Ferguson Trucking In support PSC REF#: 287233

24. Indianhead Telephone Co., d/b/a BEVCOMM– Island Lake Road Project

GRANT REQUEST: $38,773.77 (40.0%), Match $58,160.65 (60.0%), Total project cost $96,934.42

TYPE OF SERVICE: Fiber to the Home/Premises

IMPACT: 28 locations likely served; $1,384.78 in grant funds per location served

This project proposes to build a fiber to the home service to 28 locations along Plummer

Road and Island Lake Road in Rusk County, Wisconsin.

This application does not propose a public-private partnership.

This area has no existing broadband service meeting the 25/3 Mbps service standard.

The broadband map indicates Indianhead Telephone Company (d/b/a BEVCOMM) currently provides a DSL service with a maximum speed of 25/3. The broadband service in the project area is not at this level though. The purpose of this project is to bring the broadband service along Island Lake Road up to the same level of service elsewhere in the New Auburn and Long

Lake exchanges. One other provider, King Street Wireless, offers a fixed wireless service in the southern part of Rusk County at a maximum speed of 1.5 Mbps.

The project area is not eligible for CAF II support (Island Lake Road is served by a rate-of-return carrier), and may not be eligible for support from the A-CAM order (Indianhead

Telephone Company has a small number of locations eligible for model-based support (service

speed less than 10/1)). The FCC expects to release its final A-CAM support order in July.

BEVCOMM will make its election under the A-CAM order by the end of 2016.

Application PSC REF#: 287241 Application cover letter PSC REF#: 287240 Application – Appendix A (redacted copy) PSC REF#: 287243 Steven & Paula Rust In support PSC REF#: 287241 Carri Traczyk, CWASD Board of In support PSC REF#: 287241 Education President Sen. Jerry Petrowski In support PSC REF#: 287413

25. Iron County Resource Development Assn.-Gogebicrange.net Project

GRANT REQUEST: $79,101.30 (49.7%), Match $80,101.30 (50.3%), Total project cost $159,202.60

TYPE OF SERVICE: Fixed Wireless Internet Service

PROJECT PARTNERS: Iron County Resource Development Association, Inc. GogebicRange.net

IMPACT: 350 locations likely served; $226.00 in grant funds per location served

This project proposes to expand the fixed wireless service that GogebicRange.net

provides in Iron County, Wisconsin. The applicants received a broadband grant last year to

install a fixed wireless service on three existing antenna towers located in the Towns of

Anderson, Montreal and Saxon. GogebicRange.net recently completed work on the towers

funded with the FY 2016 grant, and the Commission has reimbursed Iron County (the fiscal

agent for the project) $33,826.49 for construction to date.

The applicants propose to place GogebicRange.net’s fixed wireless equipment on four

additional antenna locations. The project would use two existing Wisconsin Department of

Natural Resources fire towers in Pine Lake and Springstead, which Iron County would obtain;

the project would install its equipment on an existing tower in the Wilson Lake area, which is

owned by Iron County; and the project would build a new tower in the Saxon Harbor area.

There are 1,743 business and residential locations within the footprint of the proposed fixed

wireless service. Based upon the Commission’s experience with fixed wireless projects, this

project could be expected to serve 20 percent of these locations, or about 350 new customers.

This application proposes a public-private partnership. Iron County Resource

Development Association, Inc. (ICRDA) and GogebicRange.net are participating as co-applicants. ICRDA will manage the grant application and serve as the fiscal agent for the project. GogebicRange.net will build, own and operate the fixed wireless facility. Several parties have pledged to contribute matching funds to the project: Iron County, $30,036.84; Iron

County Resource Development Association, Inc|

., $8,000.00; Town of Oma, $2,000.00; Town of Mercer, $2,000.00; Town of Sherman,

$2,000.00; an anonymous donor, $10,000.00; and GogebicRange.net, $26,064.46 in-kind contribution.

This area has no existing broadband service meeting the 25/3 Mbps service standard.

CenturyLink advertises a DSL service with speeds up to 15 Mbps in the Saxon Harbor and Pine

Lake areas. It advertises a DSL service with speeds up to 3 Mbps in the Wilson Lake and

Springstead areas. All four towers would overlap CenturyLink CAF II funded areas.

CenturyLink objects to this grant application. CenturyLink first notes that it offers some

broadband service in portions of this project area. CenturyLink also argues that it has plans to

upgrade its telephone service in the Hurley, Mercer and Springstead exchanges with its CAF II

funds.

This project is not scalable. It is limited to the customers and locations within the

antenna footprint. The project will connect some business customers, but the opportunity for

economic development is limited by location.

Application PSC REF#: 287222 Crystal Rhode, Administrator, Visions In support PSC REF#: 287222 Northwest Sheldon Johnson, Executive Director, In support PSC REF#: 287222 Northwest Regional Planning Commission Jack Giovanoni, President, ICRDA, Inc. In support PSC REF#: 287222 Scott A Reinhard, President, Turtle In support PSC REF#: 287222 Flambeau Flowage Association Steven C Finco, Chairman, Town of Oma In support PSC REF#: 287222 Vic Ouimette, President, Mercer Area In support PSC REF#: 287222 Chamber of Commerce Rep Beth Meyers In support PSC REF#: 287222 Sen Janet Bewley In support PSC REF#: 287222 Richard Thiede, Secretary, Iron County In support PSC REF#: 287222 Lakes and Rivers Alliance, Inc. Stephen C Sash, President, Pine Lake In support PSC REF#: 287222 Association, Inc. Fred Hofer In support PSC REF#: 288385 Michael D Novak In support PSC REF#: 288425 CenturyLink In opposition PSC REF#: 288540 Timothy Nimmer In support PSC REF#: 288458

26. Lafayette Development Corp.-ComElec Internet Services Project

GRANT REQUEST: $172,168 (20.0%), Match $688,672 (80.0%), Total project cost $860,840

TYPE OF SERVICE: Fixed Wireless Internet Service

PROJECT PARTNERS: Lafayette Development Corporation Lafayette County City of Darlington Southwestern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission ComElec Internet Services, LLC (ComElec)

IMPACT: 1,859 locations likely served; $92.61 in grant funds per location served

This project proposes to build a fixed wireless internet service in Lafayette County,

Wisconsin. The service would reach 3,098 locations within the footprint of the antennas. The applicant projects that 60 percent, or 1,859 business and residential locations, will order service from the project’s service provider, ComElec Internet Services, LLC.

This application proposes a public-private partnership. The partners are Lafayette

Development Corporation, Lafayette County, the City of Darlington, Southwestern Wisconsin

Regional Planning Commission, and ComElec Internet Services, LLC. Lafayette Development

Corporation will manage the grant application and serve as the fiscal agent for the grant project.

ComElec Internet Services, LLC, will build, own and operate the broadband internet service.

Lafayette Development Corporation will contribute $5,000 in cash and $13,300 in in-kind salary

expense for project planning. The City of Darlington will contribute $6,250 toward the cost of

the microwave radio links and $2,400 per year in an in-kind donation of antenna space on two

publically-owned water towers. Lafayette County will contribute $6,500 toward the cost of the microwave radio links and $12,000 in-kind donation for the use of a publically-owned public safety tower in Darlington for two years. Southwestern Wisconsin Regional Planning

Commission will contribute $8,000 in project related salary expense, not including the $5,000 grant writing contract with Lafayette Development Corporation. ComElec Internet Services will contribute $575,422 in cash to purchase customer premises equipment and microwave radio links. ComElec will also contribute $74,200 in salary expenses for project planning and tower equipment installs.

This area has both sections with no existing broadband service meeting the 25/3 Mbps service standard and sections that are underserved. Mediacom provides a cable modem internet service in Darlington and South Wayne with an advertised speed of up to 1 Gbps. Utelco provides a DSL service in Blanchardville with an advertised of up to 30 Mbps. CenturyLink provides a DSL service in Darlington with an advertised speed of up to 15 Mbps, in Wiota with an advertised speed of up to 15 Mbps, and in Gratiot with an advertised speed of up to 30 Mbps.

Belmont Telephone Company provides a DSL service in the Belmont area with an advertised of

up to 25 Mbps. There are three other fixed wireless providers in Lafayette County providing

internet service at an advertised speed up to 6 Mbps: Prairienet, T6 Broadband and Essex

Telecom. However, one commenter indicates that CenturyLink’s broadband service is at capacity, and MediaCom is unable to extend its service outside the Darlington city limits.

The wireless project will overlap CenturyLink CAF II areas in the vicinity of Darlington,

Gratiot and Wiota.

CenturyLink objects to this grant application. CenturyLink states that it will upgrade its telephone service in the Darlington, Gratiot and Wiota exchanges with its CAF II funds.

CenturyLink argues that the Commission should not use grant funds to benefit a competing service provider in this area.

This project is not scalable. It is limited to the customers and locations within the antenna footprint. However, there is sufficient capacity to add customers in the future, and the project proponents believe this project could spur economic development in an area that has little existing broadband connectivity.

Application PSC REF#: 287205 Sen Howard Marklein In support PSC REF#: 287205 Rep Todd Novak In support PSC REF#: 287205 David Breunig, Mayor, City of Darlington In support PSC REF#: 287205 Jack Sauer, Chairman, Lafayette County In support PSC REF#: 287205 Board of Supervisors Lafayette County Resolution No. 36-14 In support PSC REF#: 287205 Laurie Fink, Business Manager, WS AG In support PSC REF#: 287205 Center Bob Bernardoni In support PSC REF#: 287205 Walter J Orzechowski, Executive Director, In support PSC REF#: 287205 Southwestern Wisconsin Community Action Program, Inc. Troy Maggied, Executive Director, In support PSC REF#: 287205 Southwestern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission Bob Jones In support PSC REF#: 287823 Stephen J Pickett In support PSC REF#: 288315

CenturyLink In opposition PSC REF#: 288540 Bob Hermanson In support PSC REF#: 288571 Denise Wellnitz In support PSC REF#: 287919 Nancy Edwards In support PSC REF#: 287602 Suzi Osterday, Executive Director, In support PSC REF#: 287601 Darlington Chamber/Main Street Janel Lopez In support PSC REF#: 287599 DFI Certificate of Authority or Information PSC REF#: 287458 Registration

27. Marquette Adams Telephone Cooperative, Inc.-Moundview Hospital Project

GRANT REQUEST: $44,590 (44.8%), Match $55,000 (55.2%), Total project cost $99,590

TYPE OF SERVICE: Fiber to the Home/Premises

IMPACT: 1 location likely served; $44,590.00 in grant funds per location served

This project proposes to build 1.5-mile fiber service extension from the southern side of

the City Adams, Wisconsin, along Highway 13, to the Moundview Memorial Hospital and

Clinics. This project proposes to extend service to the community hospital in Friendship. The

hospital is currently served by Frontier, and the hospital is concerned that Frontier’s broadband

service suffers frequent outages. The fiber route from Marquette-Adams Telephone Cooperative will provide a redundant broadband service connection to remedy service outages.

This application does not propose a public-private partnership. The project will receive

$5,000 in aid to construction from Moundview Memorial Hospital.

This project area is underserved. Charter Communications provides a cable modem internet service in the City of Adams/Village of Friendship with an advertised speed of up to

1 Gbps. Frontier offers a DSL service in Adams and Friendship with an advertised of up to

10 Mbps. The Adams and Friendship area are not eligible for CAF II funds, likely because there

are two service providers in the area that offer internet service at or above the 10/1 speed

standard for the CAF II program.

This project is limited to serving 1 large business customer. The project will provide a

broadband service at 200 Mbps, at the customer’s request. The speed can be increased to as

much as 10 Gbps if the customer desires.

This project is scalable. The fiber route would have sufficient capacity to serve other

business and residential locations in Adams and Friendship upon request.

Application PSC REF#: 287412 Donald Heinz, CEO, Moundview In support PSC REF#: 287412 Memorial Hospital and Clinics Warren LaQuee, Mayor, City of Adams In support PSC REF#: 287412 Ronald J Doyle, President, Village of In support PSC REF#: 287412 Friendship Bill Esbeck, Executive Director, Wisconsin In support PSC REF#: 287412 State Telecommunications Association

28. Merrimac Communications Ltd.–Town of Sumpter Project

GRANT REQUEST: $136,244 (75.5%), Match $44,172 (24.5%), Total project cost $180,416

TYPE OF SERVICE: Fiber to the Home/Premises

PROJECT PARTNERS: Merrimac Communications Town of Sumpter

IMPACT: 42 locations likely served; $3,243.90 in grant funds per location served

This project proposes to build a fiber to the home service in rural Sauk County just west

of the old Badger Ordinance property adjacent to Highway 12, north of Prairie du Sac,

Wisconsin. The project proposes to build past 42 locations, consisting of single-family residences, the town hall, 2 businesses, and several home-based businesses and farms.

This application proposes a public-private partnership between the Town of Sumpter and

Merrimac Communications. Merrimac Communications will build, own and operate the fiber broadband facility, and will contribute the matching dollars. The Town of Sumpter will manage the grant application and assist in promoting the service to town residents.

This area has no existing broadband service meeting the 25/3 Mbps service standard.

The area is located well away from existing cable and DSL service in Prairie du Sac. Merrimac

Communications provides fiber service to a small number of locations along Highway12.

This project would overlap Frontier CAF II funded areas in Sauk County.

This is the third year that Merrimac Communications and the Town of Sumpter have applied for a broadband grant for the Town of Sumpter in Sauk County. Applications in

FY 2015 and FY 2016 were denied.

Application PSC REF#: 287397

29. MH Telecom, LLC, d/b/a MHTC-Dodgeville Area Project

GRANT REQUEST: $55,360 (40.0%), Match $83,040 (60.0%), Total project cost $138,400

TYPE OF SERVICE: Fiber Backbone and Fiber to the Home/Premises

PROJECT PARTNERS: MH Telecom, LLC City of Dodgeville

IMPACT: 20 locations likely served; $2,768.00 in grant funds per location served

This project proposes to build a fiber route through a business park on the east side of

Dodgeville, Wisconsin. MHTC currently provides DSL to the park at speeds up to 10 Mbps.

MHTC will replace the DSL service with fiber to the premises at speeds up to 10 Gbps. Portions of Dodgeville are also served by Frontier DSL at speeds less than 3 Mbps, and Charter cable service with speeds up to 1 Gbps.

The City of Dodgeville and MHTC have executed a formal partnership agreement.

Under the agreement, Dodgeville will contribute up to 30 percent of the project cost ($41,520).

MHTC will also contribute 30 percent ($41,520).

This area has no existing broadband service meeting the 25/3 Mbps service standard.

Charter provides a cable service in Dodgeville, but has not extended service to the business park.

Frontier is the incumbent local exchange carrier, but has not provided a DSL service according the broadband map. MHTC provides a DSL service with a speed up to 6 Mbps. The City of

Dodgeville, including the business park area, as well as adjacent Town of Dodgeville areas, is not eligible for CAF II funds.

This project has a small number of potential service locations. However, the project may be better evaluated in terms of its potential in the future. The purpose of this project is to provide broadband connectivity for an underdeveloped business park. The route will build past

8 existing businesses and 28 potential commercial locations. The fiber route could also be used to service new and existing residential locations adjacent to the business park.

The City of Dodgeville has zoned the business park for commercial use and created a TIF

District to promote sales of real estate lots in the park. The city believes the vacant lots in the park have not sold due to poor broadband communications service. This project would allow the state’s “In Wisconsin” web site to include Dodgeville as a “Gigabit Park” on the website’s map.

Mount Horeb Telephone Company provides service at 10 Gbps at a similar business park in

Mount Horeb.

Application PSC REF#: 287060 Sen Howard Marklein In support PSC REF#: 287060 Rep Todd Novak In support PSC REF#: 287060 City of Dodgeville In support PSC REF#: 287060 Curt Peterson, Chairman, Town of In support PSC REF#: 287060 Dodgeville

Larry Bierke, Iowa County Administrator In support PSC REF#: 287060 Lori Murphy, Source2Market In support PSC REF#: 287060 John Lundell, Energy Unlimited Inc. In support PSC REF#: 287060 Jim Steil, Quality Liquid Feeds, Inc. In support PSC REF#: 287060 Eric Yingst, Dodgeville Auto Sales and In support PSC REF#: 287060 Service Joshua Fowler, Midwest Roofing & In support PSC REF#: 287153 Construction Curt Meinders, Blain’s Farm & Fleet In support PSC REF#: 287060 Darwin Lynde, Park Bank In support PSC REF#: 287060

Frank Hallada, Hallada Auto Group In support PSC REF#: 287060 Lynn Price, Executive Director, Dodgeville In support PSC REF#: 288412 Area Chamber of Commerce

30. Northern Telephone & Data Corp.–Town of Utica Project

GRANT REQUEST: $150,000 (40.5%), Match $220,600 (59.5%), Total project cost $370,600

TYPE OF SERVICE: Fiber Backbone and Fiber to the Home/Premises

IMPACT: 42 locations likely served; $3,571.43 in grant funds per location served

This project proposes to build a fiber route in the Town of Utica in rural Winnebago

County, Wisconsin. The fiber route will build past 65 homes and 2 businesses. Northern

Telephone and Data Corp. (NTD) expects to initially serve 40 homes and 2 businesses in the project area.

The application does not propose a public-private partnership.

This area has no existing broadband service meeting the 25/3 Mbps service standard.

CenturyLink offers a DSL service in the area at an advertised speed of up to 3 Mbps. Two providers, Fastbyte Wireless and Brown County CLEC, offer fixed wireless internet services at an advertised speed of up to 3 Mbps. In addition, five mobile wireless carriers offer service along Highway 44 (which bisects the project area).

This project overlaps a CenturyLink CAF II area along the fiber route. The subdivision the project intends to serve is not eligible for CAF II funds.

CenturyLink objects to this grant application. CenturyLink notes that this project would have a low impact compared to other grant projects. CenturyLink also asserts that the application misstates the quality of DSL service that Century provides in the project area.

CenturyLink states that it will upgrade its telephone service in the Pickett exchange with its

CAF II funds. CenturyLink argues that the Commission should not use grant funds to benefit a competing service provider in this area.

Application PSC REF#: 287219 P Nick Behnke In support PSC REF#: 288380 Sarah Kirsch In support PSC REF#: 288379 CenturyLink In opposition PSC REF#: 288540

31. Oneida County Economic Development Corp.–Northwoods Connect Project

GRANT REQUEST: $180,566 (44.8%), Match $222,670 (55.2%), Total project cost $403,236

TYPE OF SERVICE: Fixed Wireless Internet Service

PROJECT PARTNERS: Oneida County Economic Development Corporation (OCEDC) Northwoods Connect (Northwoods) Town of Newbold Town of Crescent Town of Sugar Camp Broadband Support Group, LLC (BSG)

IMPACT: 3,040 locations likely served; $59.40 in grant funds per location served

This project proposes to build an expansion of the existing fixed wireless service in the northern portion of Oneida County, Wisconsin. The project will install service on three existing and four new communications towers at an advertised speed of 25 Mbps down. The footprint of these towers is approximately 310 square miles, reaching 7,957 local residences and businesses.

The applicants state that they believe the project will eventually sign up 3,750 customers, including 40 business locations. Based upon our prior experience with fixed wireless, this would seem to be a bit optimistic.

This application proposes a public-private partnership. The application identifies five public partners, four private businesses, and Wheaton College. OCEDC and Northwoods

Connect are co-applicants. OCEDC is the fiscal manager and point of contact for the grant project. Northwoods Connect will develop, own and operate the fixed wireless system, and will contribute $58,000 in cash and in-kind matching funds.

• Town of Newbold will contribute $33,000 in matching funds toward the

construction of a communication tower at the Town Fire Department (FD)

building. The FD will own the tower and use space on the tower for other

communications needs. Northwoods will install a broadband internet service at

the FD offices.

• Town of Crescent will contribute $23,000 in matching funds. Northwoods will

install a broadband internet service at the town offices.

• Town of Sugar Camp will contribute $15,000 in matching funds. Northwoods

will install a broadband internet service at the town offices, FD and at the

elementary school.

• Broadband Support Group, LLC, will contribute $60,000 in matching funds

toward the construction of two communication towers in the Harshaw area of the

Town of Cassian. BSG is funded by local residents. It will charge Northwoods

Connect a lease fee for the use of the towers.

• Pitlik & Wick, Inc., will contribute $7,500 in matching funds.

• Sowinski Farms, Inc., will contribute $7,500 in matching funds.

• Wheaton College/HoneyRock will contribute $7,500 in matching funds.

This area has no existing broadband service meeting the 25/3 Mbps service standard.

The fixed wireless system has a large footprint and will overlap some existing broadband services. However, the applicants have generally located their antennas to reach areas that are without broadband services. Frontier provides a DSL service with a range of advertised speeds.

Commenting parties point out that the Frontier DSL service is often unavailable even in advertised areas in the project area. Charter provides a cable service in the Crescent Lake area.

There is some overlap with Frontier CAF II areas in Oneida County, particularly in the

Sugar Camp and Three Lakes Townships.

Application PSC REF#: 287385 Sen Tom Tiffany In support PSC REF#: 287385 Rep Rob Swearingen In support PSC REF#: 287385 Mark Fetzer, Chief, Newbold Fire Dept & In support PSC REF#: 287385 Dave Kroll, Chairman, Town of Newbold Tracy Hartman, Clerk, Town of Crescent In support PSC REF#: 287385 Scott Holowinski, Board Chair, Town of In support PSC REF#: 287385 Sugar Camp Larry Hendrickson, Chairman, Town of In support PSC REF#: 287385 Cassian Philip J Hejtmanek, President, Broadband In support PSC REF#: 287385 Support Group, LLC Brian Pitlik, President, Pitlik & Wick, Inc. In support PSC REF#: 287385 Paul Sowinski, Vice President, Sowinski In support PSC REF#: 287385 Farms, Inc. Jonathan Sharp, Owner, Cultivate Now In support PSC REF#: 287385 LLC George J Karling, District Administrator, In support PSC REF#: 287385 School District of Three Lakes Kelli T Jacobi, Superintendent of Schools, In support PSC REF#: 287385 School District of Rhinelander Ron Skagen In support PSC REF#: 287516 Petition of 17 businesses in Town of Sugar In support PSC REF#: 287385 Camp

Joint comments of 36 businesses and In support PSC REF#: 287385 residents in Town of Three Lakes Mark Pieplow In support PSC REF#: 288251

32. Town of Port Washington Project

GRANT REQUEST: $40,000 (100%), Match $0 (0%), Total project cost $40,000

TYPE OF SERVICE: Cable

PROJECT PARTNERS: Town of Port Washington Forest Beach Homeowners Association

IMPACT: 28 locations likely served; $1,428.57 in grant funds per location served

This project proposes to install cable internet service from Time Warner to 28 homes in

Town of Port Washington, Wisconsin, adjacent to the Lake Michigan shore in rural Ozaukee

County between the City of Port Washington and Belgium.

This application proposes a public-private partnership between the Town of Port

Washington and the Forest Beach Homeowners Association.

This area has no existing broadband service meeting the 25/3 Mbps service standard.

The nearest DSL service is in Port Washington, about 4-5 miles to the south. A fixed wireless provider, Bertram Wireless Corp., serves the area, but is unable to reach the 28 homes at issue with its existing facilities. The area is not eligible for CAF II funding.

Application PSC REF#: 287414

33. Starwire Technologies–Town of Clam Falls Project

GRANT REQUEST: $253,375 (55%), Match $207,200 (45%), Total project cost $460,575

TYPE OF SERVICE: Fiber backbone and Fiber to the Home/Premises

PROJECT PARTNERS: Starwire Technologies (Starwire) Town of Clam Falls

IMPACT: 280 locations likely served; $904.91 in grant funds per location served

This project proposes to build a fiber to the home service in the Town of Clam Falls in

Polk County, Wisconsin. The project would first build a 10-mile fiber route between Frederic and Clam Falls. The project would then build out connecting routes to customers. Starwire projects that its project will build past 250 permanent homes and businesses, and 100 seasonal homes. Starwire expects to actually connect to about 80 percent of those locations, or

280 locations.

This application proposes a public-private partnership. Starwire will build, own and operate the fiber facility, and contribute $188,000 in matching funds. The Town of Clam Falls will donate the use a town-owned backhoe and donate a small plot of real estate on which

Starwire will build a telecommunications hut.

This area has no existing broadband service meeting the 25/3 Mbps service standard.

CenturyLink offers a DSL service in the area at an advertised speed of up to 3 Mbps. This project area overlaps an area where CenturyLink is eligible for CAF II support.

CenturyLink objects to this grant application. CenturyLink first argues that Starwire has overstated the number of customers it will likely connect. CenturyLink believes this project will have a lower impact than proposed. CenturyLink also asserts that the application misstates the quality of DSL service that CenturyLink provides in the project area. CenturyLink states that it

will upgrade its telephone service in the Lewis exchange with its CAF II funds. CenturyLink argues that the Commission should not use grant funds to benefit a competing service provider in this area.

This project will install sufficient spare fiber to add customers within the project area to extend service to adjacent areas.

Application PSC REF#: 287326 Gregory Anderson, Chairman, Brad Olson, In support PSC REF#: 287326 Supervisor, & Robert Carlson, Supervisor, Town of Clam Falls Rebecca Mein In support PSC REF#: 287326 Dean Johansen, Chair, Polk County Board In support PSC REF#: 287326 of Supervisors & Dana W Frey, County Administrator, Polk County Rep Adam Jarchow In support PSC REF#: 287326 Sen Sheila Harsdorf In support PSC REF#: 287326 Eric Dueholm, President, & Steven J Healy, In support PSC REF#: 287326 Executive Director, Polk County Economic Development Corporation Sara McLain, Owner, Starwire In support PSC REF#: 287326 Technologies Stephanie Jensen In support PSC REF#: 287546 Lizzie and Don Wortham In support PSC REF#: 288248 Donald Wortham In support PSC REF#: 288247 PSC REF#: 288246 CenturyLink In opposition PSC REF#: 288540 Gregory S Anderson Information PSC REF#: 288611 Melinda Clark In support PSC REF#: 288568 Allie Scherff In support PSC REF#: 288507 Rachael Simon In support PSC REF#: 288546 Janice Hoehne In support PSC REF#: 288496 Betty Knutson In support PSC REF#: 288494 Kris Schmid In support PSC REF#: 288486 Joe Cremin In support PSC REF#: 288997

34. 24-7 Telcom, Inc.–Town of Red Cedar Project

GRANT REQUEST: $67,500 (50%), Match $67,500 (50%), Total project cost $135,000

TYPE OF SERVICE: Fiber to the Home/Premises

PROJECT PARTNERS: 24-7 Telcom, Inc. Town of Red Cedar

IMPACT: 33 locations likely served; $2,045.45 in grant funds per location served

This project proposes to build fiber to the premises service in the vicinity of the Village of Rusk, adjacent to I-94, just east of City of Menomonie in Dunn County, Wisconsin. The route will build past 17 homes and 16 businesses. The project area is a narrow strip of land bounded on the north by an active rail corridor and on the south by the interstate. The purpose of this project is to improve the usefulness of this area for commercial development.

The Township of Red Cedar and 24-7 Telcom, Inc., have executed a formal partnership agreement. Under the agreement, Red Cedar will contribute up to 18.5 percent of the project cost ($25,000). 24-7 Telcom will contribute the balance of the matching funds, $42,520. 24-

7 Telcom shall be the sole owner of the project, responsible for the construction, operation and maintenance of the project facilities.

This area has no existing broadband service meeting the 25/3 Mbps service standard.

24-7 Telcom currently provides a DSL service in the project area at speeds below 10/1 Mbps.

AT&T Mobility, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless provide a mobile service in the area along the I-94 corridor. The project area is not eligible for CAF II funds.

This project has a small number of potential service locations. This project is another that should be evaluated in terms of its potential in the future. The purpose of this project is to provide broadband connectivity for an underdeveloped business park. The applicants consider this project to be both scalable and a boost for the economic development of the area.

Application PSC REF#: 287058 Rep Tom Larson and Senator Terry In support PSC REF#: 287058 Moulton Cheryl Miller, Clerk, Town of Red Cedar In support PSC REF#: 287058 Eugene C. Smith, County Manager, Dunn In support PSC REF#: 287221 County Todd Fanetti, Rusk Prairie Farms, LLC In support PSC REF#: 287058 George Rinchich In support PSC REF#: 287058 Nicholas Berends In support PSC REF#: 287058 Patrick N. Kerze In support PSC REF#: 287058 Katie L. Wantoch, UW-Extension Dunn In support PSC REF#: 287058 County Frank Brenner, Countryside Cooperative In support PSC REF#: 287058 Melissa Gibson, Casual Panache, Inc. In support PSC REF#: 287058 John Nimsgern, Nimsgern Painting, Inc. In support PSC REF#: 287058 Kathryn L. Otto, Dunn County EDC In support PSC REF#: 287058 Eric S. Turner, Dunn County EDC In support PSC REF#: 287058 Eric S. Turner, Greater Menomonie In support PSC REF#: 287058 Development Corporation Cliff Albertson, Badger State Chapter, In support PSC REF#: 287058 Independent Telecommunications Pioneers Association

35. Waupaca OnLine.net Project

GRANT REQUEST: $22,342.95 (70.6%), Match $9,317.81 (29.4%), Total project cost $31,660.76

TYPE OF SERVICE: Wireless Internet Service

PROJECT PARTNERS: Waupaca Online.net City of Waupaca All-Net Consulting

IMPACT: 285 locations likely served; $78.40 in grant funds per location served

This project proposes to build an additional six points of presence to its already existing internet service network. The applicant projects that it could add an additional 40 business and

245 residential customers.

The application proposes a partnership between Waupaca Online.net and Ralph Schmal,

All-Net Consulting, New London, Wisconsin. 50

This area has no existing broadband service meeting the 25/3 Mbps service standard.

Charter Communications offers a cable internet service in Waupaca that advertises broadband speeds up to 1 Gbps. Waupaca Online reports that Stratton Lake and Long Lake area residents have only satellite and cellular internet services. CenturyLink provides a DSL service to portions of the Town of Lind, including Weyauwega, with an advertised speed of up to 15 Mbps.

Another fixed wireless provider serves portions of Waupaca between New London and

Waupaca. The proposed points of presence in the Town of Lind would overlap CenturyLink

CAF II areas.

CenturyLink objects to this grant application. CenturyLink notes that Waupaca has offered a low amount of matching funds, and recommends that the application be denied on that basis.

Application PSC REF#: 287278 CenturyLink In opposition PSC REF#: 288540

36. Wittenberg Telephone Co., d/b/a Wittenberg Wireless–Crestwood Elementary School Project

GRANT REQUEST: $42,000 (38%), Match $68,328.37 (62%), Total project cost $110,328.37

TYPE OF SERVICE: Fiber to the Home/Premises

PROJECT PARTNERS: Wittenberg Wireless Langlade County

IMPACT: 29 locations likely served; $1,448.28 in grant funds per location served

This project proposes to build a 2-mile fiber route along Crestwood Road north of

Highway 47 in rural Langlade County, Wisconsin. The fiber route will pass about 30 locations, including the Crestwood Elementary School, southeast of Antigo.

This application proposes a public-private partnership. Wittenberg Wireless has entered into a formal partnership agreement with Langlade County. Wittenberg will build, own and operate the fiber facility, and will contribute the $68,328.37 in matching funds. The County will waive fees and expenses for obtaining permits or permissions from the County, will grant permission to build the fiber route on or across county property, and will provide community outreach and education regarding the project and availability of the broadband service.

This area has no existing broadband service meeting the 25/3 Mbps service standard.

Two fixed wireless providers, Wittenberg Wireless and Brown County CLEC, offers fixed wireless service in the vicinity with an advertised speed of up to 6 Mbps. The project area overlaps a Frontier CAF II funded area.

This fiber connection to Crestwood Elementary School is not eligible for a subsidized rate through BadgerNet. The BadgerNet contract subsidizes one fiber connection per school district, and in the case of the Antigo School District, the subsidized connection is the one to

Antigo High School. School districts pay the undiscounted retail rate for fiber connections to additional schools in the district. Crestwood Elementary School’s internet service delivered over this fiber connection is eligible for a 65 percent discount through the federal e-rate program for schools and libraries. Wittenberg Wireless and the Antigo School District were aware of these rules when they planned for this project.

Wittenberg indicates in its application that a second phase of this project may be proposed in next year’s grant cycle. Phase II would connect about 40 homes in subdivisions adjacent to Crestwood Road. The fiber route built in Phase I would be of sufficient size to support construction of the second phase of the project.

Application PSC REF#: 287328 Angie Close, Executive Director, In support PSC REF#: 287328 Langlade County EDC Donald B Childs, Interim District In support PSC REF#: 287328 Administrator, Unified School District of Antigo Sen Tom Tiffany, Rep Mary Czaja, In support PSC REF#: 287328 Rep Jeff Mursau Dale Waterhouse, Owner, JA-DA Bait In support PSC REF#: 287328 Co. Bill Esbeck, Executive Director, In support PSC REF#: 287328 Wisconsin State Telecommunications Association

37. Wittenberg Telephone Co., d/b/a Wittenberg Wireless–Village of White Lake Project

GRANT REQUEST: $92,000 (48.5%), Match $97,734.93 (51.5%), Total project cost $189,734.93

TYPE OF SERVICE: Fiber to the Home/Premises

PROJECT PARTNERS: Wittenberg Wireless Langlade County Village of White Lake

IMPACT: 100 locations likely served; $920.00 in grant funds per location served

This project proposes to build fiber to the home service in the Village of White Lake in

Langlade County, Wisconsin. This project would be the second phase of the Wittenberg

Wireless/Silver Birch Ranch grant project awarded in FY 2016. In the first phase, Wittenberg built a fiber route along Highway 64, north of White Lake. In this phase, Wittenberg proposes to extend a fiber route from the existing facility on Highway 64 south along County Trunk M/Lake

Street into the Village. Wittenberg expects to connect about 100 businesses and residences to its fiber service.

Wittenberg and a local provider, Robbins Inc., will establish a fixed wireless service to

provide a second broadband option in the White Lake area. The fixed wireless service will

provide an initial speed of 10/2 Mbps, and may be upgraded to 40/5 in the future.

This application proposes a public-private partnership. Wittenberg Wireless has entered into formal partnership agreements with Langlade County and the Village of White Lake.

Wittenberg will build, own and operate the fiber facility, and will contribute the $91,734.93 in matching funds. The County will waive fees and expenses for obtaining permits or permissions from the County, will grant permission to build the fiber route on or across County property, and will provide community outreach and education regarding the project and availability of the broadband service. Wittenberg has agreed to meet with the Village of White Lake officials twice each year to discuss project status and look for additional opportunities to expand service in the community.

This area has no existing broadband service meeting the 25/3 Mbps service standard.

Frontier provides a DSL service in White Lake with an advertised speed up to 20 Mbps.

Commenting parties indicate that the advertised speeds are generally not available. A fixed wireless provider, Brown County CLEC, offers a fixed wireless service in the vicinity of White

Lake as well.

This project does not overlap a Frontier CAF II area. The existing fixed wireless and

Frontier DSL service in the Village of White Lake is sufficient to place the village above the threshold for CAF II funding.

Application with revised Exh D PSC REF#: 287408 Application PSC REF#: 287327 Sen Tom Tiffany, Rep Mary Czaja, In support PSC REF#: 287408 Rep Jeff Mursau Angie Close, Executive Director, In support PSC REF#: 287408 Langlade County EDC

William Fisher, District Administrator, In support PSC REF#: 287408 White Lake School District James H Stoehr III, In support PSC REF#: 287408 Owner/President/CEO, & Tony Kleier, IT Manager, Robbins, Inc. Don Skarlupka, Skarlupka Manufacturing, In support PSC REF#: 287408 Inc. Sarah A Genke, Northern Health Centers In support PSC REF#: 287408 Rob D’Amato, Owner, White Lake In support PSC REF#: 287408 Market George Rock, President, White Lake Area In support PSC REF#: 287408 Historical Society Christine L Berry In support PSC REF#: 287408 Judy Peterson In support PSC REF#: 287408 David Peterson In support PSC REF#: 287408 Jim & Ann Popelka In support PSC REF#: 287408 Betsy Lane In support PSC REF#: 287408 Tim Winkel, Owner, Silver Moon Springs In support PSC REF#: 287408 Bill Esbeck, Executive Director, In support PSC REF#: 287408 Wisconsin State Telecommunications Association John Kopecky, Vice President, Silver In support PSC REF#: 288398 Birch Ranch, Inc

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