Rank: 29
Code: Green
(See Blandin Foundation interactive map)

Marshall County gaining momentum into green ranking

Marshall County ranks 29 (down 2 places) for broadband access out of 87 counties. Marshall County has seen consistent, incremental improvements in broadband coverage, and they have benefited from grants in the past. They won’t benefit from any 2024 awards.

Given their proximity to 90 percent coverage, Marhsall County retains their green ranking.

• Over the years, Marshall County (or cities within) has not invested in matches for any successful MN Broadband grants.
• Marshall County will not benefit from a 2024 MN Broadband grant.
• Marshall County will not benefit from any line extension awards.
• Last years’ estimates indicated that it would cost $362,700 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, Marshall ranked 61 using Microsoft’s Digital Equity Tool, which looks at various factors of a community.

Past Grants:

• 2023: Garden Valley Technologies – 2023 Rural Warren SW – GRANT $1,488,322
• 2022: Garden Valley Technologies – Rural Warren East & Rural Oslo – GRANT $1,462,569 (serves Marshall and Polk)
• 2022: Wikstrom Telephone Co. Inc – Wiktel NW MN Broadband 2022 – GRANT $665,699 (serves Kittson, Lake of the Woods, & Marshall)
• MN State Grant awarded in 2021: Garden Valley Technologies – Northwest Thief River Falls and Euclid – GRANT $1,640,722 This middle and last mile project will serve 104 unserved and 22 underserved locations in portions of Marshall and Polk counties.

• 2017 – Wikstrom Telephone – Wiktel NW MN Broadband – GRANT $1,307,785
• 2016 – GARDEN VALLEY TELEPHONE COMPANY RURAL THIEF RIVER FALLS EAST – GRANT: $2,027,035
• 2016 – WIKSTROM TELEPHONE COMPANY (WITH BEAMCO, INC.) RURAL ALVARADO – GRANT: $43,481
• 2016 – WIKSTROM TELEPHONE COMPANY WIKTEL NW MN – GRANT: $950,823
• 2014 – Wikstrom Telephone, Kittson, Marshall, Roseau Broadband Extension – Award $425,000
• Wikstrom Telephone – Wiktel NW MN Broadband Project – GRANT $1,151,526

Find more articles on broadband in Marshall County (http://tinyurl.com/zamfwj3)

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)