Rank: 85
Code: Red
(See Blandin Foundation interactive map)
Todd County: on bottom 10 list for broadband
Todd County ranks 85 for broadband access out of 87 counties. They have 53.43 percent coverage to broadband of 100 Mbps down and 20 up. They have 4929 households without access to broadband at that speed. Estimates indicate that it will cost $45.8 million to get to ubiquitous broadband in the county.
| County | Residential Location Density | number of residential locations | ≥ 100 Mbps Download/20 Mbps Upload Speeds | unserved households | Cost to close gap |
| Todd | 10.8 | 10,583 | 53.43 | 4929 | 45839700 |
Working with the Blandin Foundation, Todd County has been focused on better broadband for a long time. They work hard but still rank at the bottom, demonstrating that even the hardest working counties need an engaged provider. That missing piece leaves them at code red, despite ongoing efforts.
Todd County residents were awarded 55 line extension funding requests, which means state funding will subsidize last mile broadband extension to their homes.
Broadband Access:
| 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
| 100/20 (2026 goal) | 53.43 | 47.52 | 49.93 | 49.12 | 38.68 | 17.58 | 2.86 |
| 25/3 (2022 goal) | 79.33 | 74.14 | 77.01 | 53.73 | 71.91 | 67.96 | 46.01 |
Grant:
- ReConnect funding through Upsala Cooperative Telephone Association in Morrison, Stearns and Todd counties.
- 2017 – WCTA (West Central Telephone Association) – Northern Todd County – GRANT $902,695
- 2014 – Arvig (Mainstreet Communications LLC), Sauk Lake area $
- 2019: WCTA (West Central Telephone Association) – Rural Staples Phase I Project – GRANT $555,355
- MN State Grants awarded in 2021: Arvig (Tekstar Communications, Inc.) – Lake Osakis, Sauk Lake & Smith Lake Project – GRANT $486,458 This middle and last mile project will upgrade approximately 230 unserved and 39 underserved locations in Todd and Douglas counties.
- Sytek Communications – Morrison/Todd/Stearns County FTTP Project – GRANT $1,048,668 This last mile project will bring service to 130 locations in Southwest Morrison, Southeastern Todd and Northeastern Stearns counties.
Find more articles on broadband in Todd County (http://tinyurl.com/gl47tgq)
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.
