A northern Wisconsin county, known for its 1,300 lakes, has a plan for blanketing the area with internet coverage — something that state officials say could become a template for other rural counties stuck on the wrong side of the digital divide.
The Vilas County Economic Development Corp. worked with Frontier Communications and other internet providers to create the plan aimed at making broadband, generally defined as high-speed internet service, available to more than 90% of the county within three years.
The area’s population swells in the summer as people from Illinois, Minnesota and elsewhere in Wisconsin go there for vacation. Vilas County, which includes the town of Eagle River, also has some winter tourism.
Some of those guests don’t stay long, however, because not having adequate internet access leaves them feeling too disconnected from their work and the rest of the world. Read the full story here.
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