JANESVILLE, Wis.— Thousands of homes in Rock County will now have access to high-speed broadband as part of Spectrum’s $5 billion rural digital opportunity fund (RDOF) investment. 

Spectrum expanded service to more than 2,600 homes and businesses across the county, as part of a public-private partnership.

Across Wisconsin, the state contributed nearly $170 million for the expansion, while Spectrum invested almost $500 million. 

The money is part of the FCC's rural digital opportunity fund, a 10-year, $20 billion program to bring high speed broadband service to rural communities across the country. 

“Through early RDOF efforts, Spectrum has extended its fiber-optic network more than 1,100 miles across dozens of rural Wisconsin communities, bringing service to thousands of homes and small businesses,” said Matt Brown, Spectrum’s Vice President of Construction. 

Spectrum’s Rock County expansion includes parts of Evansville and the towns of Fulton, Plymouth, Janesville, Porter, Union, Magnolia, Center, Newark, Spring Valley, Rock, Avon and Beloit.  

“Federal, state, and local governments are making an investment in broadband to better serve our rural and underserved communities, and bridge the digital divide for people in all parts of the country,” said Sen. Tammy Baldwin. “Charter’s high-speed network expansion will allow more workers, students, families, and businesses in Rock County and statewide to get the telehealth they need, work from home, and participate in remote learning.” 

Spectrum wants to bring high speed Internet to about 140,000 homes and businesses in rural Wisconsin. 

Spectrum is owned by Charter Communications, which is the parent company of Spectrum News 1.