Rank: 57
Code: Yellow
(See Blandin Foundation interactive map)

Redwood County: Moving up the ranking

Redwood County ranks 57 (up 6 places) for broadband access out of 87 counties. Redwood County went from almost 40 percent coverage in 2021 to 82 percent now. Last year, they worked on better broadband with the help of a Lead Fellow and a broadband survey. Redwood County’s work getting the community engaged with a survey will likely help them strive to get federal (BEAD) funding once it becomes available. That is how they retain their yellow ranking.

Their progress remain incremental but they retain their yellow ranking.

• Over the years, Redwood County (or cities within) has invested $1,914,986 (total) for match for 1 successful MN Broadband grant. This is an indicator of local government that is engaged and (literally) invested in better, local broadband.
• Redwood County will not benefit from a 2024 MN Broadband grant.
• Redwood County will benefit from 1 line extension award (Rounds 1 and 2), which extend broadband to individual locations.
• Last years’ estimates indicated that it would cost $13.4 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, Redwood ranked 70 using Microsoft’s Digital Equity Tool, which looks at various factors of a community.

Grants:

• 2022: Hanson Communications, Inc., $923,918.00
• 2022: Redwood County Telephone Co. dba Arvig, $1,336,037.04 (Learn more)

• 2017 – MVTC (Minnesota Valley Telephone Company, Inc.) – Milroy Broadband Project – GRANT $742,365
• 2016 – ARVIG – REDWOOD COUNTY TELEPHONE MIDDLE MILE FIBER EXTENSION – GRANT: $27,998
• 2015 – MVTV Wireless Middle Mile – Grant award: $808,080
• 2019: MVTC (Minnesota Valley Telephone Company, Inc.) – Rural Lucan Fiber Project – GRANT $635,400

• MN State Grant awarded in 2021: Minnesota Valley Telephone Company (MVTC) – Rural Franklin Fiber Project – GRANT $226,800 This middle and last mile project will serve approximately 45 unserved locations in the City of Franklin and the townships of Sherman, Eden, Camp and Birch Cooley in Redwood, Renville and Brown counties.

• Redwood County has worked with the Blandin Foundation

Find more articles on broadband in Redwood County (https://tinyurl.com/3z8k43r5)

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)