“Based on the success of our first fiber-to-the-home project in the Village of Raymond and the state’s dollar-for-dollar grant program, we are excited to do another fiber optic project,” e-vergent President Joe Falaschi said in a statement. In 2018, Raymond and e-vergent received a $112,000 grant to bring service to 19 homes.

The state Public Service Commission’s Rural Broadband Expansion Grant program allows internet companies to partner with municipalities to apply for grants to bring high-speed internet to underserved areas. If awarded, the state splits half the cost of the service expansion with the internet company.

The villages of Waterford, Yorkville, Raymond, Caledonia and Rochester and the towns of Waterford, Norway and Dover all hold pockets of varying sized that have either no or slow wired broadband service, according to the PSC’s Broadband Office. About 19% of Wisconsin residents are underserved.

Yorkville had considered partnering with Spectrum or AT&T for the grant, but neither company was interested. Village trustees voted in late September to find a partner for the grant.

Grantees will be announced in spring 2020.