According to the Lakefield Standard…

Telecommunications history was made in Lakefield last Friday as Southwest Minnesota Broadband Services connected its first working customer.

Southwest Minnesota Broadband Services (SMBS) received ARRA funding to deploy fiber in the area. They broke ground last July and connected the first customer in December. As the article points out the weather was a huge help.

Now they are up and running. Tests continue but they have staff on hand for deployment and customers service.

Great to hear the ARRA networks really come into their own. Also fun to see such excitement from the local press.

[Note, I have linked to an online article, but also had access to a print version, which was slightly different.]