The Institute for Local Self Reliance maintains a Community Network Map – a map of the variety of ways in which local governments have invested in wired telecommunications networks. Those ways include:

• publicly owned FTTH citywide network
• publicly owned cable network reaching most or all of the community
• some publicly owned fiber service available to parts of the community (often a business district)
• publicly owned dark fiber available
• publicly owned network offering at least 1 gigabit services
• served by rural electric cooperatives

You can get a look at coverage one their map (copied) on the right. (The map on their site is interactive.) They were kind enough to send me a list of Minnesota communities listed, which I’m happy to share. (Have to admit, I wasn’t able to post in spreadsheet as I wanted so feel free to contact me if you want a better format.)

Quick breakdown:

• There are four publicly owned FTTH citywide networks. Lake Connections serves three communities. Monticello Fiber and Windomnet each serves one. SMBS serves eight communities.
• There’s one publicly owned cable network  – Bagley Public Utilities in Bagley MN
• There are seven providers serving some publicly owned fiber service available to parts of the community.
• Two counties with dark fiber available. CarverLink serves 10 communities. Scott County Fiber Network serves seven communities
• There are two rural electric cooperatives. RS Fiber serves 10 communities. True North serves four communities.