Green=served Purple=underesrved Red=unserved
Rank (from 100/20 megabits per second): 78
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.
Traverse County: on bottom 10 list for broadband
Traverse County made a deal with a wireless provider in 2018; the county helped them to get started and setup. The provider has been successful but the connections available do not meet the 100/20 Mbps or 25/3 Mbps speed goals. But as someone from the county pointed out at the time, it was better than what they had.
With a population density of 2.6, Traverse is unlikely to get better service until they mobilize to get it.
Broadband Access:
| 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
| 100/20 (2026 goal) | 50.97 | 49.39 | 45.62 | 45.37 |
| 25/3 (2022 goal) | 67.25 | 67.25 | 66.14 | 45.37 |
| 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% |
| Traverse | 84.7% | 73.3% | 63.6% | 52.8% | 4.3% |
What we learned in the past:
In 2017, Mediacom has announced upgrades to Gig service in parts of Traverse County, specifically Wheaton. Traverse is also getting almost $2 million in FCC funding but that is over the next 10 years. In 2018, they shared that they cut a deal where the county lent a fixed wireless company money and provided some easier access to towers. It was successful. It’s wireless. It’s maybe not 25/3 Mbps but it’s better than what people had before.
Update from 2020:
No broadband news has been reported from Traverse County since the last profile was posted.
Checklist:
- Find more articles on broadband in Traverse County (http://tinyurl.com/gmvojv8)
- 100/20 Mbps ranking: 78 (down 7)
- Has worked with Blandin: yes
- Has received a MN Broadband grant: no
- Household density: 2.6
Details:
- Districts: CD 7
Senate: 12
House: 12A - 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)
Blandin on Broadband 