Major gaps in broadband access plague rural areas of Wisconsin where hundreds of thousands of people are going without high-speed internet. Yet, local governments might play a unique role in identifying underserved areas and connecting internet providers to programs that can help pay for broadband infrastructure. The findings are part of a report from research firm Forward Analytics that examined data on broadband deployment from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for 2019, the most recent data available. The report found more than 430,000 people, who make up 25 percent of the state’s rural population, lack access to high-speed internet. The state ranks 36th nationwide in terms of accessibility in rural areas, which ranges widely across rural Wisconsin.