Broadband to expand in five Barron County towns

Broadband expansion is coming to the towns of Barron, Maple Grove, Prairie Lake, Rice Lake and Doyle, it was announced at Tuesday's meeting of the Barron County Board of Supervisors by Mosaic Technologies public relations manager De Anna Westphal.

"Thank you for your partnership with Mosaic Technologies to allow the company to expand its fiber broadband network across your county," Westphal said. "This mutually beneficial opportunity will provide economic growth and development to the residents and businesses."

She explained how the expansion is being made possible.

"To further demonstrate our commitment to the rural communities, we applied to the Wisconsin Public Service Commission through the Capital Projects Fund for a grant to service the townships of Barron, Maple Grove, Prairie Lake, Rice Lake and Doyle," she said. "In early March, the Wisconsin PSC approved our applications, and we were awarded $7.8 million of the $15.5 million total cost of construction."

Barron County supported the project with a letter of support for the broadband grant application that Mosaic Technologies submitted.

"Mosaic Technologies will contribute $7.6 million towards the broadband investment for the Barron County community," Westphal said. "The total estimated establishments to pass will be roughly 1,650 properties."

She told the County Board engineering and design work will begin mid-May once contracts are signed from the commission.

"The construction process will take place once the PSC contracts have been signed, the design and engineering of the grant footprint are constructed, and the materials are available and purchased," Westphal said.

Mosaic Technologies has been awarded six grants in all during this round, with the timeline of projects at all locations to be completed by November 2026.

"Our team is excited to host public town hall meetings during the next two years of construction to help educate the communities that we are constructing fiber broadband in the area and how to sign up for services," she said. "The marketing and public relations departments will actively communicate construction throughout the project through written emails, postcards, town hall meetings, and maintain high visibility throughout the area during construction."

"You've been a great partner with us all along the way," said County Board Chairman Louie Okey.