I was just talking to someone yesterday at a tour of Monticello’s FTTH network (more on that later) about how hard it has been to get consistent info on the ARRA awards and how poorly the awards are compiled and archived. I’ve tried to create a list for us in Minnesota. But I was excited to see Duluth’s take on the awards from their perspective.
According to the WDIO’s Eyewitness News, the City of Duluth Communication office reports that there will be three new fiber lines running into Duluth…
Duluth to St. Paul – HickoryTech’s subsidiary Enventis was recently awarded a $16.8 million in stimulus dollars to build 428 miles of fiber-optic cable in Greater Minnesota, the backbone of two new high-speed fiber lines. One line will run between Duluth and St. Paul, while the other will run between Brainerd and Fargo. Both are expected to be finished in three years. For more information: http://mankatofreepress.com/local/x1836251772/HickoryTech-gets-grant-to-build-cable
Duluth to Green Bay and Michigan’s UP – Ann Arbor-based not-for-profit Merit Network will construct a 1,210-mile high-speed fiber network in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula – with connections to Green Bay, Wis. and Duluth, Minn. – following the award of a $69.6 million federal stimulus grant to fund the project. http://www.annarbor.com/business-review/ann-arbor-based-merit-network-lands-696m-grant-to-expand-broadband-in-michigan/
Duluth to NE Minnesota Communities – In March the Northeast Service Cooperative received a $21.7 million loan, and $21.7 million grant to fund a fiber project to serve the Iron Range of northeast Minnesota. Construction on that project begins in the spring of 2011, and will be completed by June of 2013. That project includes 34 communities throughout Northeast Minnesota, from Willow River to McGregor, and International Falls to Grand Portage. http://www.nesc.k12.mn.us/broadband/mmfp
As the article points out, these are primarily Middle Mile projects – but it’s adding bandwidth and redundancy to the area. And as Duluth Mayor Don Ness comments…
“Whether or not Google selects Duluth, we continue to aggressively pursue all options to enhance our IT capacity. Bandwidth capacity is of growing importance in our ability to compete on a national and international basis.”
I’m not trying to make a big shameless plug here, but I thought that I should mention that Paul Bunyan Telephone is extending its fiber network into Duluth this year. The project is on schedule and expected to be operational before the end of 2010.
This is not a federal stimulus project. Perhaps that is why the City left us out of their press release?
Steve – this is the best place for a shameless plug! In the excitement of the big award announcements I think we forget about the folks who have been plugging away and plugging us in for years.
Thanks for the reminder!