Rank: 3
Code: Green
(See Blandin Foundation interactive map)
La Qui Parle County: top ranked and getting better
Lac qui Parle (LqP) County received an American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) award in 2010 that brought Fiber to the Home (FTTH) to most of the county. They have been well served since then and are able to make improvements.
Initially Madison, the county seat was not included in the original network, because at the time it was too well served to receive federal funding. The provider covering Madison has caught up.
As a report from the Institute for Local Self Reliance pointed out, Farmers Mutual Telephone Cooperative operates 1,300 miles of fiber with a take rate of 55 percent across its service area. The network frequently hears from residents that the service has become central to their lives, wellbeing, and ability to conduct business.
LqP is clearly code green.
Broadband Access:
| 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | ||
| 100/20 (2026 goal) | 99.83 | 99.57 | 97.35 | 97.35 | 99.36 |
| 25/3 (2022 goal) | 99.84 | 99.57 | 97.35 | 97.35 | 99.36 |
| County | Households with computer | …with desktop or laptop | …with ONLY smartphone | …with a tablet et al |
| State of MN | 93.6% | 80.6% | 7.7% | 63.8% |
| LqP | 85.5 | 74.7 | 6 | 52.6 |
Past grants:
- 2009, Blandin Foundation funded a feasibility study for LqP County and Farmers Telephone Cooperative. The feasibility study’s engineering, operational, and market development plans were later used to support the partners’ successful ARRA funding
- 2010 The county and Farmers were awarded a $9.6 million ARRA award
- 2017 – Farmers Mutual Telephone – City of Watson and SW Lac qui Parle County FTTP – GRANT $760,501
- 2015 – MVTV Wireless Middle Mile – Grant award: $808,080
Checklist:
- Find more articles on broadband in Lac qui Parle. (http://tinyurl.com/zc2tfay)
- 100/20 ranking: 3 (same)
- Has worked with Blandin: yes
- Has received a MN Broadband grant: yes
- Household density: 3.42
Details:
- Districts: CD 7
Senate: 16
House: 16A - 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 