Rank: 19
Code: Green
(See Blandin Foundation interactive map)

Olmsted County: almost there and getting closer

Olmsted County ranks 20 (down one point) for broadband access out of 87 counties. Olmsted County is nearly there, which is why they retain the green code. They are the home of the Mayo Clinic, which acts as an anchor for providers looking to expand service.

They will benefit from more than $3 million in MN state grants, which should take them to nearly ubiquitous coverage next year. 

• Over the years, Olmsted County (or cities within) has not invested in matches for any successful MN Broadband grants. This is an indicator of local government that is engaged and (literally) invested in better, local broadband.
• Olmsted County will benefit from two 2024 Broadband grants:
  $3.1 million will serve 396 locations in Fillmore, Olmsted and Winona counties and
  $515,564 will serve 83 locations
• Olmsted County will not benefit from any line extension awards.
• Last years’ estimates indicated that it would cost $22.1 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, Olmsted ranked 5 using Microsoft’s Digital Equity Tool, which looks at various factors of a community.

2024 Grants

• County: Fillmore, Olmsted, Winona
  MiEnergy Cooperative South West Fremont
  Grant: $3,164,721
  Local Match: $4,747,086
  Total Budget: $7,911,807
  The MiEnergy Cooperative project will see built Fiber to the Premise (FTTP) in the rural areas Southwest of Fremont, Minnesota located primarily in Winona and Filmore Counties. This project will provide services to 396 addresses, including 342 unserved and 54 underserved, and bridge the digital divide by offering residents access to essential services such as telemedicine, online education, and remote work opportunities. Funding partner Mabel Cooperative Telephone Company is contributing $2,373,543.
• County: Olmsted
  Kasson & Mantorville Telephone Company Rural North Byron
  Grant: $515,564
  Local Match: $630,134
  Total Budget: $1,145,699
  The Kasson & Mantorville Telephone Company project will extend Fiber-To-The-Home (FTTH) capabilities to locations in rural Olmsted County, leveraging existing middle mile fiber and broadband backhaul. This project will enable delivery of up to 1 GB upstream and downstream for internet access with the ability to add additional GBs as needed, serving 83 locations, including 13 unserved locations and 70 underserved locations.

Past Grants:

• 2023: KM Telecom – Rural Byron & Salem Corners Fiber Build – GRANT $1,931,046
• 2022: Kasson & Mantorville Telephone Company, $1,620,007.00

• 2016 – KMTELECOM RURAL MANTORVILLE – GRANT: $764,663
• 2019: BEVCOMM (Pine Island Telephone Company) – NE Pine Island Fiber Project Phase I – GRANT $222,222

• MN State Grants awarded in 2021: Charter Communications (Spectrum) – Cambridge Hills – GRANT $28,950 This middle and last mile project will serve approximately 41 unserved households in Marion Township in Olmsted County.

• KMTelecom – Rock Dell Northwest Fiber Build – GRANT $385,173 This last mile project will serve approximately 125 unserved locations in the rural Ashland and Vernon townships in Dodge County and Salem Township in Olmsted County.

Find more articles on broadband in Olmsted County (http://tinyurl.com/gmslyhe)

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)