Rank: 22
Code: Green
(See Blandin Foundation interactive map)

Roseau County: So close but need to get traction again

Roseau County ranks 22 (down 5 places) for broadband access out of 87 counties.

Roseau County saw an amazing leap in broadband in 2018 – from 0 to 67 percent. They have seen incremental growth since then, but seem to have stalled in the last year. They retain their green ranking because they are so close to goal

• Over the years, Roseau County (or cities within) has not invested in matches for any successful MN Broadband grants.
• Roseau County will not benefit from a 2024 MN Broadband grant.
• Roseau County will not benefit from any line extension awards (Rounds 1 and 2), which extend broadband to individual locations.
• Last years’ estimates indicated that it would cost $2.1 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, Roseau ranked 74 using Microsoft’s Digital Equity Tool, which looks at various factors of a community.

Broadband Access:

Grants:

• 2017 – Wikstrom Telephone – Wiktel NW MN Broadband – GRANT $1,307,785
• 2016 – SJOBERG’S INC. ROSEAU AND LAKE OF THE WOODS COUNTIES — GRANT: $354,740
• 2016 – CENTURYLINK THIEF RIVER MIDDLE MILE – GRANT: $1,324,400
• 2016 – WIKSTROM TELEPHONE COMPANY WIKTEL NW MN – GRANT: $950,823
• 2014 – Sjoberg Cable, Broadband Grant Proposal – Award $261,575
• 2014 – Wikstrom Telephone, Kittson, Marshall, Roseau Broadband Extension Amount $425,000
• 2019: Wikstrom Telephone – Wiktel NW MN Broadband Project – GRANT $1,151,526

Find more articles on broadband in Roseau County (http://tinyurl.com/gsq45ua)

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)