Rank: 68
Code:  Red
(See Blandin Foundation interactive map)

Martin County: need more investment

In 2020, Martin County saw a nice increase in coverage; somehow that has decreased in the last year. (Probably a correction; not removal of broadband.) They will see improvements based on a recent MN Border to Border grant award.

Martin County will benefit from a MN State Grant awarded in 2021:

BEVCOMM (Blue Earth Valley Telephone Company, Easton Telephone Company & Cannon Valley Telecom) – Rural Faribault County and Martin County Fiber Expansion Phase 2 Project – GRANT $1,182,818 This last mile project will serve approximately two unserved households, 203 underserved households, 46 underserved businesses, and 181 underserved farms in portions of Faribault and Martin counties.

Projected allocation of American Recovery Project ARP funds in Martin is $3,817,397; broadband is one possible use. Matin County will need a push to get to better broadband; they are code red.

Broadband Access:

Computer Access:

Past grants:

• 2017- BEVCOMM (Granada Telephone Company) — Granada Rural Final – GRANT: $202,410
• 2016 – GRANADA TELEPHONE COMPANY (DBA BEVCOMM) SOUTH RURAL GRANADA – GRANT:  $157,920
• 2016 – MARTIN COUNTY (WITH FRONTIER) RURAL BROADBAND INITIATIVE – GRANT: $1,677,823
• BEVCOMM (Blue Earth Valley Telephone Company & Easton Telephone Company) – Rural Faribault County Project – GRANT: $579,781

Checklist:

• Find more articles on broadband in Martin County (http://tinyurl.com/h37zf6l)
• 100/20 Mbps ranking: 68 (up 3)
• Has worked with Blandin: yes
• Has received a MN Broadband grant: yes
• Household density: 13.96

Details:

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