Green=served Purple=underesrved Red=unserved
Rank (from 100/20 megabits per second): 36
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.
Nobles County: steady progress but needs to continue
Nobles County was a Blandin Broadband Community (BBC); they have deployed lots of broadband adoption programs. They have benefited from past MN Border to Border grants. In 2018, SDN found a way to expand to parts of Nobles County. They have pretty good coverage and there have been incremental upgrades but to get to the 2026 speed goals throughout the county, they will need to make a push. Because they were a BBC, they likely have a team together that might be able to take that on.
Broadband Access:
| 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
| 100/20 (2026 goal) | 81.24 | 77.66 | 77.18 | 59.25 |
| 25/3 (2022 goal) | 83.54 | 80.89 | 79.24 | 75.69 |
| 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% |
| Nobles | 84.8% | 70.3% | 68.2% | 50.7% | 3.7% |
What we learned in the past:
As a member of Blandin Foundation’s 2015-2016 Blandin Broadband Community cohort, Nobles County implemented nearly a dozen broadband adoption projects. Late in 2018, SDN Communications partnered with local providers to expand service into Nobles County.
Nobles County has benefited from two MN broadband grants:
- 2016 LISMORE COOPERATIVE TELEPHONE NOBLES COUNTY BROADBAND – GRANT: $2,944,578
- 2015 – MVTV Wireless Middle Mile – Grant award: $808,080
Update from 2020:
No broadband news reported from Nobles County since the last profile.
Checklist:
- Find more articles on broadband in Nobles County (http://tinyurl.com/j52xvxu)
- 100/20 Mbps ranking: 34 (up 6)
- Has worked with Blandin: yes
- Has received a MN Broadband grant: yes
- Household density: 11
Details:
- Districts: CD 1
Senate: 22
House: 22A, 22B - 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)
