Five years ago, the United Nations General Assembly passed a non-binding resolution declaring that internet access is a human right. But for many living in rural areas in Dane County, the digital divide remains as stark, and as vast, as ever in 2022.

While most people in cities and villages take internet access for granted, those who reside in the countryside know that accessing information online can be sluggish and frustrating, or even downright impossible, due to a lack of basic broadband infrastructure. Simply put, the private companies that provide internet service can’t do so profitably unless population density is over a certain threshold (some say there must be ten homes for every mile, at least). For people who live in idyllic townships, from Vermont and Blue Mounds to Ashton and Springfield, it has long been a reality that streaming a movie, downloading an email attachment, or participating in a Zoom meeting for work is an arduous process.

That was already the case two years ago.

Then, 2020 arrived, bringing with it a cavalcade of cultural mayhem. As the COVID pandemic spread, businesses, government entities and schools shifted nearly everything online. While working remotely had previously been considered a rare convenience, it suddenly became a requirement. Students, from those in kindergarten all the way through high school, found themselves required by their school districts to stay home and spend most of the day taking virtual classes.

The crisis did not create the digital divide between the haves (in urban and suburban areas) and the have-nots (in rural communities). But it did exacerbate it, and shine a glaring light on it, as rural residents found themselves unable to engage in work, school and even play the way their counterparts could.

Politicians at all levels have talked about fixing the problem for years now, but little has actually happened. But now, members of a Dane County task force say they are taking slow but significant steps to bring their rural residents into modernity.

When asked if fast, reliable internet is a basic human right, District 37 supervisor Kate McGinnity, who is heading up the Dane County Broadband Task Force with District 36 supervisor Melissa Ratcliff, replied, “Oh, of course.”

“It’s our equity issue in rural Dane County,” McGinnity continued. “It has a real impact on quality of life.”

The first step toward bolstering broadband is to find out more about just how bad rural internet access is in Dane County. If the data is bad enough, and many suspect it will be, that could make the region eligible for state and federal grant money that will help pay for broadband infrastructure.

“The biggest issue is that the maps we have to report coverage and speeds are inaccurate and inadequate, and that’s data our towns need in order to apply for broadband funding, to apply for grants to fund the infrastructure they need,” McGinnity explained.

“Our task force is not trying to recreate the wheel; we are trying to bring the silos together,” she added.

“In rural communities, the fiber doesn’t even get to the house, so we have an issue of both accessibility and affordability,” agreed Ratcliff. “This really should be a utility that goes everywhere. But that’s not how it’s set up, unfortunately, so we have to work with these other entities to get it done.”

Those other entities are private internet providers that say they can’t make a profit, or even break even, running broadband to remote country homes. The only solution, according to these supervisors, is to lock down federal and state money to make it worthwhile for all the parties involved.

“That’s why that speed test is super important,” said Ratcliff. “We knew this was important before COVID, but the pandemic just increased the urgency.”

“This was a pressing issue in my district before the pandemic, but [COVID] so greatly ramped up the need; for mental health, for entertainment, for school, for work, healthcare and working from home,” agreed McGinnity.

While they are both hopeful that better data will lead to more public money, which in turn will lead to better broadband infrastructure, they are also realistic about the timeline before them.

“I’m not going to state a specific time,” Ratcliff commented. “In a perfect world, everyone would have access in two years, but that’s not the world we live in.”

“We just want to advocate for our communities,” she added.

When asked when rural citizens will have adequate broadband, McGinnity’s response was short, and to the point: “Not soon enough.”

The Dane County Broadband Task Force will be holding two upcoming virtual public hearings for members of the public to provide input on improving broadband access in Dane County.

The first hearing will take place on Monday, February 28, 2022, from 6:00 p.m.-8:30 p.m., the second hearing will take place on Friday, March 4, 2022, from 9:00 a.m.-11:30 a.m. Information to register is available below:

February 28: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_I8xdZc6_Tcab5nE7MMMUDw

March 4: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_XOBBNUy1RlSeXrnv8p5SRw

(Yes, we are aware of the irony in telling you to go online here.)

In addition to the public hearings, residents can provide testimony through the following means:

Email: Dane.Broadband.Task.Force@countyofdane.com

Phone: (608) 266-5758

Mailing Address: Dane County Board of Supervisors 210 MLK Jr. Blvd. Room 362, Madison, WI 53703

The Task Force was created by 2020 RES 415 and focuses on how to provide broadband access to all of Dane County’s residents, particularly those who live in rural areas where broadband access may be lacking or non-existent. The Task Force meets monthly to explore solutions to inadequate broadband service. This includes collecting data on underserved and vulnerable populations and partnering with stakeholders to identify where broadband is and isn’t available.

The resolution that created the Task Force outlines the work the Task Force will do including: collect data, research and explore various funding mechanisms, partner with stakeholders to identify where there is and is not broadband access, explore alternative solutions, and make recommendations to the County Board on the role of Dane County in facilitating the expansion of broadband services to residents.

More information on the Task Force can be found on the Broadband Task Force’s website available at https://board.countyofdane.com/initiatives/Broadband-Task-Force.

You can also help them learn more about how to target broadband expansion by testing your internet speed through the Madison Region Economic Partnership. The link to test your internet speed is: http://madisonregion.org/industry-and-innovation/broadband/.

“With Federal money headed this way to improve broadband access, I hope area residents will take the internet speed test, as the data gathered will help bring it home,” said Pat Downing, who represents District 30, including much of the Mount Horeb area, on the county board.