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Comcast seeks county endorsement for BEAD broadband application covering Manitowoc-area towns
Summary
Comcast presented a BEAD (Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment) application to the Manitowoc County Board and requested a county endorsement letter to support a proposal that would deliver symmetrical gigabit fiber to multiple towns and expand service to about 1,500 homes if awarded.
A Comcast government affairs representative asked the Manitowoc County Board to provide a letter of endorsement for the company’s application to Wisconsin’s BEAD broadband program.
Andrea Keier, representing Comcast’s Midwest government affairs team, said Comcast’s proposed project would deliver gigabit symmetrical fiber service to businesses and homes in several Manitowoc County towns, including Newton, Maple Grove, Rockland, Schleswig and Cooperstown. Keier said the plan would also extend service to about 1,500 additional homes if Comcast receives an award through the state program.
Keier told the board endorsements from local governments would not be exclusive and that the Wisconsin Office of Broadband expects to accept multiple endorsed proposals for the same geography to encourage competition and the best applications. Comcast emphasized ongoing local investments — donations to Boys & Girls Clubs, Internet Essentials discounts for low‑income households and in‑home Wi‑Fi equipment — and requested that the county send a nonexclusive endorsement to the Office of Broadband if the application is competitive.
What supervisors were told
Keier described Comcast’s network monitoring and investments, saying the company monitors service 24/7 and has invested millions of dollars in fiber in Wisconsin. She said local school districts and municipalities already provided letters to Comcast and that the county’s endorsement would signal support but would not prevent other providers from receiving county endorsements.
Outcome
No formal vote was taken on a county endorsement during the meeting. Keier left materials for supervisors to review and asked the county to consider a nonexclusive endorsement if the project scored competitively in the state’s process.
Ending
Supervisors said they would review Comcast’s packet and the county’s broadband priorities before considering any endorsement paperwork to the Wisconsin Office of Broadband.
