Rank: 74
Code: Red
(See Blandin Foundation interactive map)
| County | 25/3 (% covered) |
25/3 rank | 100/20 (% covered) |
100/20 rank | Gig (% covered) |
Gig rank |
| Renville | 73.92 | 80 | 71.99 | 74 | 33 | 60 |
Renville County: Still stuck
Renville County ranks 74 (down 3) for broadband access out of 87 counties. Their percent covered dipped slightly but that is likely within a margin of error. Renville County has been working on better broadband for more than 10 years, but they have stayed stagnant at 70 percent coverage. Their 2024 MN State grant with Hanson Communication should help them see improvement. However, until then they retain their ref ranking.
They may be concerned about being in a potentially precarious position because looking at access in the County using the FCC National Map there is a big discrepancy between wireline access and wireline with fixed wireless. Minnesota doesn’t currently take fixed wireless into consideration when defining areas eligible for grants; the federal government does include access to fixed wireless. That could make a big difference to who is eligible for BEAD funding.
- Over the years, Renville County (or cities within) has not invested in matches for any successful MN Broadband grants.
- Renville County will benefit from a 2024 $2 million MN Broadband grant (Round 10) award that will serve 283 locations.
- Renville County will not benefit from any line extension awards.
- Last years’ estimates indicated that it would cost $16 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, Renville ranked 66 using Microsoft’s Digital Equity Tool, which looks at various factors of a community.
- In 2023, Renville set up a broadband survey for community members.
Broadband Access:
| 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
| 100/20 (2026 goal) | 71.99 | 72.23 | 70.79 | 70.86 | 63.23 | 59.06 | 51.78 | 50.43 |
| 25/3 (2022 goal) | 73.92 | 73.98 | 73.41 | 74.48 | 67.74 | 61.9 | 55.06 | 59.27 |
2024 Grant:
- County: Chippewa, Renville
Hanson Communications
Hanson – Chippewa Cty W
Grant: $2,081,494
Local Match: $2,544,150
Total Budget: $4,625,644
Hanson will build and operate a Fiber To The Premises (FTTP) network covering the unserved and underserved areas within Southwest Chippewa County. There are 283 total fiber passings in the project. This project comes in partnership with Chippewa County, who has committed $200,000 to the project. Over 68 businesses lacking a 100/20 mbps connection are included in the project area. Most businesses in the project area are related to agrobusiness, machinery, construction, transportation, services & consumer goods. For livestock operations, broadband is a necessity. Remote monitoring and alarm systems, critical for ensuring the health and safety of livestock, rely heavily on broadband connectivity. Additionally, the process of buying and selling livestock and equipment at online auctions is emerging in the online marketplace
Past Grants:
- 2016 – RENVILLE COUNTY HBC & RS FIBER – GRANT: $807,966
- 2015 – MVTV Wireless Middle Mile – Grant award: $808,080
- 2014 – R-S Fiber Cooperative, FTTH Project – Award: $1 million.
- 2019: Nuvera Communications, Inc. – Hutchinson W Project – GRANT $346,282
- 2019: Midco (Midcontinent Communications) – Renville Project – GRANT $230,835
- 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.
Find more articles on broadband in Renville County (http://tinyurl.com/hfazdvf)
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)

