Rank (from 100/20 megabits per second): 28
Code: Yellow
Annually, Blandin Foundation pulls together data from the Minnesota Office of Broadband Development and broadband news to gauge progress toward the state broadband goals (25 megabits per second download/3 Mbps upload by 2022 and 100 Mbps/20 Mbps by 2026). Leaders can use this information to improve broadband access and use in their communities. To see how the state is doing overall, or to compare counties, visit the Blandin Foundation interactive map. Or check out past years’ reports: 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020.
Itasca County: recent grant will help improve access
Itasca County has seen very small incremental increases in broadband over the last few years. However, they are in proximity to providers who have shown an interest in serving Fiber to the Home in rural areas and Paul Bunyan received a Border to Border grant that will improve access in the last round of funding. They are sitting on fertile ground.
Broadband Access:
2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
100/20 (2026 goal) | 84.14 | 83.06 | 79.44 | 76.35 |
25/3 (2022 goal) | 87.67 | 93.12 | 86.15 | 78.92 |
County | Households with computer | …with desktop or laptop | …with a smartphone | …with a tablet et al | …with other |
State of MN | 90.3% | 81.1% | 76.5% | 59.3% | 3.5% |
Itasca | 85.1% | 73.6% | 67.4% | 52.0% | 2.5% |
What we learned in the past:
Itasca has benefited from several MN broadband grants:
- 2017 – Paul Bunyan Communications – North Central Fiber – GRANT $802,620
- 2016 MEDIACOM HARRIS TOWNSHIP – GRANT: $224,369
- 2016 – PAUL BUNYAN COMMUNICATIONS HUBBARD, BECKER & ITASCA COUNTIES – GRANT: $1,742,232
- 2015 – Paul Bunyan Central Itasca County Fiber – Grant Award: $1,980,000
Itasca County is fortunate in that there are several providers in the area that currently offer Gigabit services. They need to work with providers to extend or expand their services.
Update from 2020:
Itasca County has been one of the counties leading the initative to encourage Minnesotans to take the statewide broadband speed test. And they will benefit from a Border to Border project awarded to Paul Bunyan in the last grant round:
- Paul Bunyan Communications – North Central Minnesota Fiber Project– GRANT $2,562,916
This last mile project will upgrade approximately 914 unserved and 439 underserved locations in parts of the Leech Lake Indian Reservation and rural portions of Cass, Itasca, Koochiching, and St. Louis counties. In a funding partnership with the State of Minnesota, Minnesota Iron Range Resource & Rehabilitation Board, Koochiching County, and Morcom Township, Paul Bunyan Communications will improve broadband service levels up to 1 Gbps download and 1 Gbps upload, exceeding the 2022 and 2026 state speed goals. A fiber-to-the premise project, the proposed project areas are a response to consumer demand and will provide relief in economically distressed communities that need new alternatives to diversify and strengthen. - Total eligible cost is $6,268,400
- Local match is $3,705,484
Checklist:
- Find more articles on broadband in Itasca County. (http://tinyurl.com/grujo6t)
- 100/20 Mbps ranking: 28 (down 1)
- Has worked with Blandin: yes
- Has received a MN Broadband grant: yes
- Household density: 6.4
Details:
- Districts: CD 8
Senate: 5, 6
House: 5A, 5B, 6A - Find your reps
I am doing the annual look at broadband in each county – based on maps from the Office of Broadband Development and news gathered from the last year. I’m looking at progress toward the 2022 (25 Mbps down and 3 Mbps up) and 2026 (100 Mbps down and 20 Mbps up) and will code each:
- Red (yikes)
- Yellow (warning)
- Green (good shape)
My husband and I own and operate a small business from our home in Balsam Township, Itasca County. The last time Paul Bunyan laid cable, they stopped just short of County Rd. 585, which leads into our neighborhood. I contacted them and found it would be approx. $32,000 to run the lines to our homes. I know there is interest in our area based on our lake association meeting conversations. We are dealing with very poor CenturyLink phone lines and want to upgrade. Is there any plan that you know of that would include our Hartley Lake Area? We have been told by CenturyLink that the phone service we have is the best we will every get from them and it makes it very difficult conducting business at times. As for internet, we use satellite. Any input or thoughts would be appreciated.
Thank you,
Mary Pehrson
Mary – I am asking around. I will report back when I can. Thx! Ann
Hi Mary, I’ll send you a private e-mail with information about your specific location.
You can also get up to date information about our growth plans, ask questions, and find maps and other information about Paul Bunyan’s growth in the Iron Range if you join the Paul Bunyan Communications Iron Range Fiber Optic Projects Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/PBC.IronRange