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 prof...