Rank: 17
Code: Green
(See Blandin Foundation interactive map)

Olmsted  County: recent progress but needs more

Olmsted County is nearly there. They are the home of the Mayo Clinic, which acts as an anchor for providers looking to expand service.

Olmsted County will benefit from a few MN State Grants awarded in 2021:

• Charter Communications (Spectrum) – Cambridge Hills – GRANT $28,950 This middle and last mile project will serve approximately 41 unserved households in Marion Township in Olmsted County.
• KMTelecom – Rock Dell Northwest Fiber Build – GRANT $385,173 This last mile project will serve approximately 125 unserved locations in the rural Ashland and Vernon townships in Dodge County and Salem Township in Olmsted County.

Projected allocation of American Recovery Project ARP funds in Olmsted is $30,699,953; broadband is one possible use. Rochester and Olmsted County have been vocal about wanting better broadband. This federal funding is a good opportunity for them, if they take it. They are code green.

Broadband Access:

Computer Access:

Past grants:

• 2016 – KMTELECOM RURAL MANTORVILLE – GRANT: $764,663
• 2019: BEVCOMM (Pine Island Telephone Company) – NE Pine Island Fiber Project Phase I – GRANT $222,222

Checklist:

• Find more articles on broadband in Olmsted County (http://tinyurl.com/gmslyhe)
• 100/20 Mbps ranking: 17 (down 1)
• Has worked with Blandin: no
• Has received a MN Broadband grant: yes
• Household density: 90.43

Details:

• Districts: CD 1
  Senate: 25, 26
  House: 25A, 25B, 26A, 26B
• 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)