Rank: 4
Code: Green
(See Blandin Foundation interactive map)
| County | 25/3 (% covered) |
25/3 rank | 100/20 (% covered) |
100/20 rank | Gig (% covered) |
Gig rank |
| Stevens | 99.72 | 5 | 99.72 | 4 | 99.72 | 3 |
Stevens County: So close
Stevens County ranks 4 (up 14 points) for broadband access out of 87 counties.
Stevens County ranking will notch back to yellow in part because of the reductions seen on the map and in part because of the lack of movement forward for so many years.
- Over the years, Stevens County (or cities within) has not invested in matches for any successful MN Broadband grants.
- Stevens County will not benefit from a 2024 MN Broadband grant.
- Stevens 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 $1.1 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, Stevens ranked 25 using Microsoft’s Digital Equity Tool, which looks at various factors of a community.
- Stevens County has been involved with broadband for years – going back to working with Blandin Foundation-led, Minnesota Intelligent Rural Communities (2009-2012) effort.
Broadband Access:
| 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
| 100/20 (2026 goal) | 99.72 | 96.06 | 97.08 | 96.79 | 96.79 | 96.74 | 96.74 | 96.73 |
| 25/3 (2022 goal) | 99.72 | 99.81 | 99.31 | 99.22 | 99.22 | 99.22 | 99.22 | 99.21 |
Grants:
- 2022: Runestone Telephone Association – Herman-Dumont – GRANT $2,493,637
- 2017 – Advantenon – Rural Grant, Stevens and Wilkin Counties – Grant $316,554
- 2014 – Otter Tail Telcom, Swan Lake West – Award: $438,937.
Find more articles on broadband in Stevens County (http://tinyurl.com/joutu2h)
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)