Rank: 62
Code: Yellow
(See Blandin Foundation interactive map)

Meeker County: developing hometown tools

Meeker County ranks 62 (down six places) for broadband access out of 87 counties. Meeker County has had steady, incremental increase in access since 2017. Meeker County is making good progress. They have several providers interested in the area, yet with less than 80 percent coverage, they retain their yellow ranking.

Perhaps most hopeful for Meeker County is the creation of MC Fiber, under Consolidated Telephone Company and Meeker Cooperative Light and Power, which is located in Meeker County.

• Over the years, Meeker County (or cities within) has not invested in matches for any successful MN Broadband grants.
• Meeker County will not benefit from a 2024 MN Broadband grant (.
• Meeker County will benefit from 10 line extension awards.
• Last years’ estimates indicated that it would cost $19.5 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, Meeker ranked 50 using Microsoft’s Digital Equity Tool, which looks at various factors of a community.
• In December 2022, Meeker Cooperative were awarded five successful Border to Border grants totaling $327,000 to expand broadband in the county.

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

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

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)