Rank: 67
Code: Red
(See Blandin Foundation interactive map)
Otter Tail County: recent progress but needs more
Otter Tail County is seeing steady, incremental improvement to their broadband access, likely because they have also benefited from a number of MN Border to Border grants.
They have seen a greater increase in access to 25/3, which can be detrimental for long term planning. Going from nothing (or very slow) to 25/3, customers will be comparatively pleased, which may reduce their interesting in investing in a more long-term solution. Also, it is interesting to see a provider upgrade to only 25/3.
Projected allocation of American Recovery Project ARP funds in Otter Tail is $11,393,425; broadband is one possible use.
Otter Tail County has the opportunity to invest in broadband with federal funding. That would help them reach ubiquitous broadband; this is where the increase in access to 25/3 might get in the way of popular opinion on the choice. They are code red.
Broadband Access:
2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
100/20 (2026 goal) | 67.02 | 65.55 | 35.34 | 2.36 | 1.75 |
25/3 (2022 goal) | 90.97 | 75.02 | 92.93 | 89.56 | 59.34 |
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% |
Otter Tail | 86.4 | 72.7 | 8 | 54.2 |
Past grants:
- 2017 – Arvig – Pelican Rapids rural non-ACAM – GRANT $633,642
- 2017 – Otter Tail Telcom LLC – Red Oak Drive – GRANT $173,683
- 2017 – WCTA (West Central Telephone Association) – Wadena Rural Phase III – GRANT $874,581
- 2016 – OTTER TAIL TELCOM BATTLE LAKE – GRANT: $ 238,170
- 2016 – OTTER TAIL TELCOM FERGUS FALLS AREA – GRANT: $ 279,271
- 2016 – WCTA WADENA RURAL NORTH — GRANT: $718,850
- 2015 – Otter Tail Telcom Fergus Falls 864 – Hwy 59 – Grant award: $295,432
- 2015 – Otter Tail Telcom Hwy 59/94 PRT to POM – Grant award: $164,207
- 2014 – Otter Tail Telcom, Stuart Lake – Award: $105,364.
- 2014 – Otter Tail Telcom, 245th – Award: $108,553.
- 2019: Otter Tail Telcom LLC – Long and Fish Lakes Project – GRANT $156,954
- 2019: Arvig (Loretel Systems, Inc.) – Cormorant Lakes Area Project – GRANT $430,780
Checklist:
- Find more articles on Otter TailCounty https://blandinonbroadband.org/?s=otter+tail&submit=Search
- 100/20 Mbps ranking: 67 (down 1)
- Has worked with Blandin: yes
- Has received a MN Broadband grant: yes
- Household density: 11.36
Details:
- Districts: CD 7
Senate: 01
House: 01A, 01B - 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)