Wisper Internet connecting BoCo

The overall goal for Wisper Internet for the past 20 years is to connect the unserved and underserved communities with reliable broadband internet. According to the federal government, any household with access to less than 100 Mbps (megabits per second) is considered underserved.

Wisper selected Patton and Marble Hill as a focus of the company's marketing push because its towers in the area can provide speeds up to 400 Mbps. And due to its location, Wisper has the capability to service the majority of Patton, Marble Hill and their outskirts with wireless internet, according to a news release issued recently by Wisper.

Since its inception during the pandemic, Wisper has assisted nearly 500 families with the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) and Lifeline, which offer discounts on monthly service of up to $30 through a partnership with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the news release stated.

Wisper's research shows more than 54% percent of students in Meadow Heights R-II School District qualify for ACP benefits, while more than 60% percent of students in Woodland R-IV School District qualify.

In 2018, Wisper was awarded $220.3 million from the FCC through the Connect America Fund (CAF), Phase II Auction. The second-highest winner nationwide. Wisper views the CAF II funds as a catalyst to its continued commitment to closing the digital divide in communities like Patton and Marble Hill, according to the news release. Wisper has several towers in and around Patton, Marble Hill and surrounding areas as part of a $4,278,110 CAF investment in Bollinger County.

Wisper Internet operates on fixed wireless technology. To connect people via fixed wireless, Wisper mounts a transmitter onto an elevated structure, like a communications or water tower, or a grain elevator. Customers receive that signal through a small unit outside of their home, which then feeds to their router, providing a consistent and stable wireless connection throughout their household so they can connect all of their devices.

For more information on Wisper services, ACP, or to determine availability, contact the Wisper sales team at (800) 765-7772 or sales@wisperisp.com.

Wisper ISP, LLC, based in Mascoutah, Illinois, is a wireless internet service provider with more than 200 employees and 20,000 subscribers across Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma.