Rank: 56
Code: Yellow
(See Blandin Foundation interactive map)

Becker County: starting to stall?

Becker County rank dropped from 41 to 56 for broadband access out of 87 counties. The speed dipped slightly, but in a year where the map saw bigger changes. I don’t think the issue is going backward but stalling, which is why they are getting a yellow rating.

They don’t have any grants coming in but these do have a large number (89) of line extensions coming in, which will help get broadband to 89 locations and maybe reach more in the process.

• Over the years, Becker County (or cities within) has not invested in matches for any successful MN Broadband grants.
• Becker County will not benefit from recent MN Broadband grant awards.
• Becker County will benefit from 89 line extension awards (Rounds 1 and 2), which extend broadband to individual locations. This is a high number of awards. (Arvig was awarded 69 of the awards.)
• Last years’ estimates indicated that it would cost $27.5 million to get ubiquitous broadband in the county. (I haven’t updated the number because recent report offers scenarios of costs based on BEAD funding rules that make current estimates less predictable than in the past. Yet, I think the number is still helpful.)
• In 2022, Becker ranked 38 using Microsoft’s Digital Equity Tool, which looks at various factors of a community.
• ecker County went from 6 percent coverage to 100/20 in 2020. They have had measured increase to the goal since.
• In 2022, local provider Arvig committed to spending almost $20 million on upgrades in Becker, Otter Tail and Redwood Counties.
• In 2023, Arvig announced their plan to use E-ACAM funds to bring 100Mbps broadband to Becker, Hubbard, Otter Tail, Redwood, Stearns, Todd Counties.

Past Grants

• 2016 – PAUL BUNYAN COMMUNICATIONS HUBBARD, BECKER & ITASCA COUNTIES – GRANT: $1,742,232
• Arvig (Loretel Systems, Inc.) – Cormorant Lakes Area Project – GRANT $430,780

Find more articles on broadband in Becker County. (http://tinyurl.com/jkah37b)

The maps below on the left comes from the Office of Broadband Development interactive map, reflecting data updated on December 16, 2024. Red dots represent locations unserved locations. Above I have tracked wireline access because that is the Minnesota definition of broadband. The info below includes wired and wireless. BEAD includes fixed wireless connections as served locations. (I wrote more on the distinction between the two last year, which may be if interest in the numbers range greatly for your county.)

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)