Packers on Amazon Prime a fumble for Wisconsin homes, businesses without internet access

MADISON, Wis. — No matter the score of the Packers vs. Titans game Thursday, many fans were disappointed because being on Amazon Prime, they weren’t able to watch it in the first place.

The lack of broadband in homes, bars, and other locations across the state is something the Public Service Commission is trying to fix, but they said it takes time.

“I mean I’ve been to multiple bars,” said Branden Mueller, who had to hustle a bit to find a bar where he could rep his green and gold, and watch football Thursdays at all.

“A lot of them (said), ‘Oh we don’t have Prime or we’re not able to air it because we don’t have Prime,’” he said at SconnieBar Thursday.

When it comes to all the Thursday Night Football games only on Prime video this season, “I kinda feel like the NFL sold out with it,” Mueller said.

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Not all Packers fans at the bar that night thought it was a complete fumble.

“Thursday Night Football’s kind of become something that’s been shot down quite a bit so there wasn’t a lot of suitors so I completely understand how Amazon Prime got that,” said Peter Murphy.

“Streaming’s going to be the thing of the future,” he said, “it’s got to come up a little bit with its quality, but as the internet world progresses it’s going to get better.”

That can be a problem when in upward of 180,000 Wisconsin homes and businesses the internet world still hasn’t even kicked off, according to Alyssa Kenney with the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin.

“Our foot’s on the gas, but broadband infrastructure and good high-performance broadband infrastructure takes time,” she said.

Kenney, the PSC’S state broadband and digital equity director, said with state funds in the last two years, the PSC has connected more than 100,000 new locations.

In October, Governor Tony Evers allocated $40 million in federal American Rescue Plan Act funds through the Capital Projects Fund for broadband expansion.

“We definitely want everyone in Wisconsin to be able to watch the Packers, it is a top priority. But you know, likewise, accessing appointments with your doctor, your kids being in school being able to access the resources they need to be successful,” Kenney said. “[Internet is] just part of access to society now and people who don’t have it are really, they’re left behind.”

According to Kenney, between $700 million and $1 billion in federal dollars could also be coming once the government approves broadband funds from President Joe Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill.

“We’ll be able to draw down some planning funds and that will allow us to engage more closely with local communities, build any of the data or the systems we need, so we’re really fully ready when the additional revenue, additional funds come down,” she said.

But the government determining which locations are unserved for broadband can complicate things, Kenney said.

“The state has a definition of unserved and the federal government has a definition of unserved, and they don’t actually quite jive,” she explained.

Wisconsin would get the full planning fund amount of $5 million, for a nine-month process.

Then comes the next phase.

“So there’s pre-engineering and design, there’s pre-ordering materials, there’s the labor that takes, for many projects, there’s permitting so working with the local communities to make sure you have the permits, whether it be right of way or opening up any type of ground and public access street,” Kenney said.

Then construction is another tough play.

“Most of the infrastructure in the state of Wisconsin is buried plant. So, it’s underground and it’s bored, and so there’s also a limited construction season in our state because the ground freezes for a period of time,” she said.

So while the funds are announced to the public, “it’s hard when people see the funding going out, I think they want broadband tomorrow and it really, it’s broadband in 1-2 years,” Kenney said.

Even for some who have internet, affordability can be a barrier, which is why a federal affordability program is available to apply to get $30 off your bill.

In the meantime, fans will just have to survey the field for bars, friends, or any other Cheeseheads with Prime subscriptions on Thursdays. “

True fans will find a way to watch it,” said Murphy’s friend Guy Kopp.

For those who have internet, but have no idea how to get Amazon Prime, “local libraries as just an incredible resource for walk-in help for offering digital literacy classes,” Kenney said. “Hopefully as we plan, we can plan for those adoption, that digital literacy, those other pieces that people really need to make that full use of technology.”

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