Rank (from 100/20 megabits per second): 69
Code: Red
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.
Murray County: needs help but has potential partners
In 2018, Murray County published a feasibility study that indicated that even with a MN Border to Border grant, it was not financially possible to build Fiber to the Home (FTTH). Subsequently, they are left looking at hybrid models, trying to convince the state to increase the 50 percent match or find another solution. There are a few counties with similar feasibility studies that indicate the same thing. I suspect there are other counties that may be in similar situations but have not had feasibility studies to spell it out.
Broadband Access:
| 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
| 100/20 (2026 goal) | 51.59 | 51.59 | 50.78 | 41.65 |
| 25/3 (2022 goal) | 65.2 | 65.37 | 51 | 50.47 |
| 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% |
| Murray | 85.1% | 73.8% | 64.5% | 50.4% | 3.0% |
What we learned in the past:
In 2018, with support from the Blandin Foundation, released a feasibility study that was not promising; it indicated that it is not economically feasible to build fiber everywhere in the rural parts of the county using the existing Border-to-Border grant program—the 50% grant matching in that program is not high enough to create a sustainable network.
Murray has benefited from one MN broadband grant:
- 2015 – MVTV Wireless Middle Mile – Grant award: $808,080
Update from 2020:
No broadband news to report from Murray County since last year’s report.
Checklist:
- Find more articles on broadband in Murray County (http://tinyurl.com/j9sr5gf)
- 100/20 Mbps ranking: 77 (up 8)
- Has worked with Blandin: yes
- Has received a MN Broadband grant: yes
- Household density: 5.2
Details:
- Districts: CD 7
Senate: 22
House: 22A - 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)