Green=served Purple=underesrved Red=unserved

Rank (from 100/20 megabits per second): 60
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.

Watonwan County: hovering around 68 percent

They have been hovering around 68 percent covered since we began tracking. They have benefited from grants in the past. There isn’t much broadband news coming from the county. They seem unlikely to make the 2026 speed goals without community intervention.

Broadband Access:

Computer Access:

What we learned in the past:

Watonwan County has benefited from several state grants:

• 2017 – New Ulm Telecom, Inc. – Hanska A&D FTTP – GRANT $324,894
• 2016 – NEW ULM TELECOM, INC. HANSKA – GRANT: $ 200,397
• 2015 – MVTV Wireless Middle Mile – Grant award: $808,080

Update from 2020:

Watonwan County is part of a consortium (Region 9) that using broadband for better telehealth, especially for better mental telehealth.

Checklist:

• Find more articles on broadband in Watonwan County (http://tinyurl.com/jpnf6xv)

• 100/20 Mbps ranking: 60 (down 2)
• Has worked with Blandin: yes
• Has received a MN Broadband grant: yes
• Household density: 10.3

Details:

• Districts: CD 1
  Senate: 23
  House: 23A, 23B
• 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)