Rank: 16
Code: Green
(See Blandin Foundation interactive map)

Washington County: nearly there with a grant in process

Washington County ranks 16 for broadband access out of 87 counties. They have hovered from 97.09 percent coverage to broadband of 100 Mbps down and 20 up. They have 2404 households without access to broadband at that speed. Estimates indicate that it will cost $22.4 million to get to ubiquitous broadband in the county.

Washington County in part of the 7-metro county region. It has some suburban areas and some rural areas. So, some areas attract providers while other areas need incentive. They have been stalled for many years now and there seems to be little engagement outside of Scandia and that is how their code has been escalated from green to yellow.

In December 2022, MidContinent received $975,131 in Border to Border funding to bring gigabit broadband service to 1,075 households, businesses and farms in Grant, Hugo, and Stillwater. In 2023, MidCo received $1.6 million to serve 575 households, businesses, farms and community anchor institutions in May Township. Comcast has three applications in to the latest (still open) round of Border to Border funding; results should be available in early 2024.

In 2023, Scandia started working on a 5-year broadband plan.

With an increase in coverage and ongoing provider attention, Washington has shifted from yellow to green ranking.

Broadband Access:

Grants

• 2023: Midco – Midco May Township – GRANT $1,580,300
• 2022: Midcontinent Communications, $975,131

• 2019: Midco (Midcontinent Communications) – Scandia Project – GRANT $510,358

• MN State Grant awarded in 2021: Midco (Midcontinent Communications) – Scandia – GRANT $78,824 This last mile project will serve 78 underserved households and one underserved business in remote neighborhoods of Scandia in Washington County.

Checklist:

• Find more articles on broadband in Washington County (http://tinyurl.com/z4dwzyy)

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.