FCC announced latest RDOF awards…

The FCC today announced that it is ready to authorize $709,060,159 in its fourth round of funding for new broadband deployments through the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund.  Together with three prior funding wave announcements, the Commission has now announced over $1.7 billion in funding to winning bidders for new deployments.  In this funding wave, 50 broadband providers will bring broadband service to over 400,000 locations in 26 states. …

The 26 states slated for today’s funding include Alabama, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.  The bulk of today’s funding will go to nonprofit rural electric cooperatives to deploy broadband throughout their service areas.

Here are the awards in Minnesota:

Midcontinent
Census blocks 683
Locations 5706
Total Award $4,453,800.60

Roseau Electric
Census blocks 76
Locations 266
Total Award $1,228,494

And from the small print, in case there’s something to learn or we need it in the future…

With regard to its ETC designation in Minnesota, MidCo was able to secure its designation from the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission on May 28, 2021, and submit the Order to the Commission on June 1, 2021, prior to the June 7 deadline.[1]  Thus, we dismiss as moot MidCo’s request for waiver with regard to Minnesota.

[1] See Minnesota Public Utilities Commission, Docket No. P-6186/SA-21-124, In the Matter of a Notice to Rural Digital Opportunity Fund Grant Winners et al., (May 28, 2021).