Rank: 55
Code: Yellow
(See Blandin Foundation interactive map)

Meeker County: building momentum with state grants

Meeker County ranks 55 (up six) for broadband access out of 87 counties. They have 78.04 percent coverage to broadband of 100 Mbps down and 20 up. They have 2100 households without access to broadband at that speed. Estimates indicate that it will cost $19.5 million to get to ubiquitous broadband in the county.

They have had steady, incremental increase in access since 2017. In December 2022, Meeker Cooperative were awarded five successful Border to Border grants totaling $327,000 to expand broadband in the county.  In June, ReConnect announced $19,039,348 in funding for Meeker Cooperative Light & Power Association tl connect nearly 500 people, 124 farms, 16 businesses, and one educational facility to high-speed internet in Kandiyohi, Meeker and Stearns counties.

Meeker County is making good progress. They have several providers interested in the area, they will benefit from both Border to Border and a ReConnect grant, yet with less than 80 percent coverage, they retain their yellow ranking.

Broadband Access:

Grants:

• 2023: ReConnect grant connecting nearly 500 people, 124 farms, 16 businesses, and one educational facility to high-speed internet in Kandiyohi, Meeker and Stearns counties.
• 2022: Meeker Cooperative Light & Power Association (Vibrant Broadband) – Big Swan Lake – GRANT $94,182
• 2022: Meeker Cooperative Light & Power Association (Vibrant Broadband) – Collinwood Lake – GRANT $104,337
• 2022: Meeker Cooperative Light & Power Association (Vibrant Broadband) – Dunns & Richardson Lakes – GRANT $80,202
• 2022: Meeker Cooperative Light & Power Association (Vibrant Broadband) – Lake Erie – GRANT $19,093
• 2022: Meeker Cooperative Light & Power Association (Vibrant Broadband) – Long Lake – GRANT $29,702 (Learn more)
• MN State Grant awarded in 2021: Meeker Cooperative Light & Power Association (Vibrant Broadband) – Lake Koronis – GRANT $41,927 This last mile project will serve approximately 28 unserved and seven underserved locations in Union Grove Township in Meeker County.

• 2019: Nuvera Communications, Inc. – Hutchinson W Project – GRANT $346,282

Checklist:

• Find more articles on broadband in Meeker County (http://tinyurl.com/gltzvoc)

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)

The maps below on the left comes from the Office of Broadband Development interactive map, reflecting data updated on Oct 31, 2023. Red dots represent locations unserved with wireline broadband; the Orange dots represent underserved locations. The map on the right comes from the FCC National Broadband map showing access to wired and licensed fixed wireless access, the darker the color, the greater percentage of broadband coverage.