Fiber Internet Expansion Planned for Rural Wood County, Bringing Upgrades to More Than 3,500 Addresses

WOOD COUNTY, WI (OnFocus) – Thousands of rural homes and businesses in Wood County are expected to gain access to faster internet service as a multi-year fiber network expansion begins this year across parts of central Wisconsin.

The project will upgrade broadband infrastructure serving more than 3,500 addresses across rural areas of the county, including communities such as Arpin, Auburndale, Babcock, Hansen, Lincoln, Pittsville, Remington, Richfield and surrounding areas.

Construction is expected to begin this spring in several locations and continue through at least 2028. Plans call for the installation of nearly 400 miles of new broadband infrastructure during the early stages of the project. Work will include burying conduit and fiber-optic cables within utility easements as well as upgrading aerial lines.

The expanded network is expected to provide internet speeds of at least 100 Mbps, with some locations capable of reaching speeds up to 8 gigabits per second as segments of the network are completed and activated.

Officials say the upgrades are part of broader efforts to expand high-speed internet access in rural areas, where building broadband infrastructure can be significantly more expensive than in more densely populated communities.

“Bringing faster internet connections to rural America is not just about the technology, it’s about ensuring everyone has the same opportunity for education, healthcare and economic growth,” said Drew Petersen, senior vice president of corporate affairs at TDS Telecommunications.

Part of the project is supported by the Federal Communications Commission’s Enhanced Alternative Connect America Cost Model program, known as E-ACAM. The four-year initiative helps offset the cost of building and maintaining broadband infrastructure in rural areas. Providers participating in the program have until December 31, 2028 to deploy upgraded service to required locations.

Additional network expansion in Wood County will be funded through private investment. The upgrades are part of a larger effort to expand fiber-based internet service across multiple states.

The company said its low-cost broadband option will remain available to qualifying households in areas served by the upgraded network.

The E-ACAM program is currently being used to support broadband improvements in rural communities across 22 states.