Situation
Nestled in the heart of Vilas County, Wisconsin, the Town of Boulder Junction is known for its 200 lakes and the fact that 86% of its land is state-owned. While this natural beauty draws visitors and part-time residents, it also presents unique challenges for infrastructure development. In 2017, a local Economic Development Committee survey revealed a clear barrier to economic growth: the lack of broadband. Not only was broadband the top concern, but five of the six most-cited challenges were directly tied to it.
Response
In early 2019, a grassroots effort began with the formation of a three-person work group of Broadband Champions. With just $1,200 in seed money and a lot of determination, the group embarked on a journey that would span five years and over 5,000 volunteer hours.
Key steps included:
- Self-Education: The group immersed themselves in broadband knowledge, recognizing that in 2019, rural broadband expansion was still in its “prehistoric era.”
- Leadership Engagement: Through private, one-on-one meetings with town board members, understanding and trust was built.
- Community Outreach: Eight well-attended public meetings helped inform and engage both full-time and part-time residents, leading up to a referendum process This resulted in a shift from a small DSL upgrade to a full-scale fiber-to-the-premise (FTTP) project.
- Community Investment: Through a referendum process, residents approved up to $3.8 million in town investment, with a clear mandate: connect everyone, all at once.
- Strategic Partnerships: The town secured two Public Service Commission (PSC) grants totaling $4 million and partnered with Brightspeed (formerly CenturyLink/Lumen) to implement the project.
- Project Management: Weekly meetings with the ISP helped build a strong working relationship and ensured project momentum.
Outcomes
- Full-Town Coverage: Fiber was installed to 1,346 of 1,347 broadband service locations (BSLs), delivering symmetrical gigabit speeds.
- High Take Rate: A 75% take rate demonstrated strong community buy-in and immediate use of the new service.
- Future-Proof Infrastructure: The town now has a robust, high-speed network that will serve residents for decades.
- Regional Leadership: Boulder Junction’s success positioned it as a broadband leader in Vilas County, influencing broader regional planning.
Lessons Learned
- Private Road Easements Are Critical: In lake communities with part-time residents, securing easements is a complex but essential task. A structured, collaborative process is key.
- Communication is Everything: Transparent and consistent communication with town boards, residents, ISPs, and grant agencies like the PSC is vital to success.
- Relationships Drive Results: Building trust with ISPs and stakeholders takes time but pays dividends in smoother implementation.
- Define Success Early: For Boulder Junction, success meant not just laying fiber, but ensuring every resident had access to and was using high-speed broadband.
- Broadband is Hard Work: Thousands of volunteer hours and relentless persistence is necessary, but the long-term payoff is transformative.
Contact
Noah Lottig
VCED Broadband Workgroup Team Leader
