Green=served Purple=underesrved Red=unserved
Rank (from 100/20 megabits per second): 86
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.
Redwood County: Hovering near the bottom of the ranking list
Redwood County has been working on broadband for many years; they were a Blandin Broadband Community in 2013. They have benefited from a few broadband grants and they will benefit from a project awarded in the latest round too. They keep going, but have a long way to go.
Broadband Access:
| 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
| 100/20 (2026 goal) | 36.48 | 33.56 | 33.56 | 34.37 |
| 25/3 (2022 goal) | 44.59 | 70.94 | 72.07 | 41.51 |
| 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% |
| Redwood | 83.9% | 74.4% | 66.9% | 50.2% | 3.7% |
What we learned in the past:
Redwood County was a Blandin Broadband Community in 2013. The released a feasibility study at that time.
Redwood County has benefited from MN broadband grants:
- 2017 – MVTC (Minnesota Valley Telephone Company, Inc.) – Milroy Broadband Project – GRANT $742,365
- 2016 – ARVIG – REDWOOD COUNTY TELEPHONE MIDDLE MILE FIBER EXTENSION – GRANT: $27,998
- 2015 – MVTV Wireless Middle Mile – Grant award: $808,080
Update from 2020:
Redwood County will benefit from a Border to Border grant awarded in the last round:
- 2019: MVTC (Minnesota Valley Telephone Company, Inc.) – Rural Lucan Fiber Project – GRANT $635,400
This middle and last mile project will upgrade approximately 23 unserved households, 99 unserved farms, and three unserved businesses in portions of Vesta, Granite Rock, Johnsonville, Waterbury, Westline, and Vail Townships in Redwood County. In a funding partnership with the State of Minnesota, MVTC will improve broadband service levels up to 1 Gbps download and 1 Gbps upload, exceeding the 2022 and 2026 state speed goals. Sustainable broadband adoption will transform these unserved areas into highly productive rural communities, including the ability to make full use of precision agriculture advancements. Education, health care, energy efficiency, and public safety will improve with high-speed internet access. - Total eligible cost is $1,412,000
- Local match is $776,600
Checklist:
- Redwood County has worked with the Blandin Foundation
- 100/20 Mbps ranking: 86 (down 3)
- Has worked with Blandin: yes
- Has received a MN Broadband grant: yes
- Household density: 7.5
Details:
- Districts: CD 7
Senate: 16, 22
House: 16A, 16B, 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)
