Rank: 70
Code:  Yellow
(See Blandin Foundation interactive map)

Martin County: hoping new engagement spurs investment

Martin County ranks 70 (down one place) for broadband access out of 87 counties.

They have 72.6 percent coverage to broadband of 100 Mbps down and 20 up. They have 2398 households without access to broadband at that speed. Estimates indicate that it will cost $22.3 million to get to ubiquitous broadband in the county.

Martin County hovered around 67 percent coverage to broadband, last year they had a big jump and this year, an incremental increase. They have an $8 million grant next year, which should help them get even closer to goal.

One side fact: 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, Martin County (or cities within) has invested $805,842 (total) for matches for 1 successful MN Broadband grants This is an indicator of local government that is engaged and (literally) invested in better, local broadband.
• Martin County will benefit from a 2024 $8 million MN Broadband grant (Round 10) award that will serve 457 locations.
• Martin County will benefit from 4 line extension awards (Rounds 1 and 2), which extend broadband to individual locations.
• Last years’ estimates indicated that it would cost $22.3 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, Martin ranked 61using Microsoft’s Digital Equity Tool, which looks at various factors of a community.

Martin County

2024 Grants

• County: Martin
  Federated Rural Electric Association Martin County Low Density
  Grant: $8,008,419
  Local Match: $2,669,473
  Total Budget: $10,677,892
  This Low Density Federated Rural Electric Association in Martin County will see Fiber to the Premise (FTTP) Network to be built in rural Martin County. The project will enhance the quality of life and foster community growth for businesses, farmers, and residents at 457 locations, including 431 unserved and 26 underserved addresses. Funding partners include contributions from Martin County, Lake Belt Township, Rolling Green Township, for a total partner contribution of $800,842.

Past Grants

• 2022: Grants: Bevcomm – Rural Faribault and Martin Counties Fiber Expansion Project – Phase Three – GRANT $1,444,030 (serving Faribault and Martin Counties)
• MN State Grant awarded in 2021: BEVCOMM (Blue Earth Valley Telephone Company, Easton Telephone Company & Cannon Valley Telecom) – Rural Faribault County and Martin County Fiber Expansion Phase 2 Project – GRANT $1,182,818 This last mile project will serve approximately two unserved households, 203 underserved households, 46 underserved businesses, and 181 underserved farms in portions of Faribault and Martin counties.

• 2017- BEVCOMM (Granada Telephone Company) — Granada Rural Final – GRANT: $202,410
• 2016 – GRANADA TELEPHONE COMPANY (DBA BEVCOMM) SOUTH RURAL GRANADA – GRANT:  $157,920
• 2016 – MARTIN COUNTY (WITH FRONTIER) RURAL BROADBAND INITIATIVE – GRANT: $1,677,823
• BEVCOMM (Blue Earth Valley Telephone Company & Easton Telephone Company) – Rural Faribault County Project – GRANT: $579,781

Find more articles on broadband in Martin County (http://tinyurl.com/h37zf6l)

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)

Rank: 53
Code: Yellow
(See Blandin Foundation interactive map)

Mahnomen: From red to yellow ranking with latest momentum

Mahnomen County ranks 47 (down 6 places) for broadband access out of 87 counties. Mahnomen saw a dip in broadband coverage but that may be due to mapping differences. Mahnomen went from almost 19 percent coverage to broadband of 100 Mbps down and 20 up in 2019 to 71 percent coverage in 2021. Growth has been incremental and slow since.

Mahnomen will benefit from two 2024 MN State grants in the near future; hopefully that will get them a yellow ranking next year.

• Over the years, Mahnomen County (or cities within) has not invested in matches for any successful MN Broadband grants.
• Mahnomen County will benefit from two MN Broadband grants:
  $4,626,012 award that will serve 287 locations and
  $4,626,012 award that will serve 137 locations.
• Mahnomen County will benefit from 29 line extension awards (Rounds 1 and 2), which extend broadband to individual locations.
• Last years’ estimates indicated that it would cost $2.8 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, Mahnomen ranked 85 using Microsoft’s Digital Equity Tool, which looks at various factors of a community.

2024 Grants:

• County: Clearwater, Mahnomen
  Garden Valley Telephone Company 2024 Rural Mahnomen County
  Grant: $4,626,012
  Local Match: $1,542,008
  Total Budget: $6,168,020
  This Low Density Garden Valley Telephone Company in Mahnomen County project is a combination middle mile and last mile Fiber-To-The-Home (FTTH) which will serve locations within the borders of the White Earth Reservation in Mahnomen County. This project recognizes broadband has become essential to economic prosperity in the rural communities and would allow employees to work from home, provide children with access to homework and essential internet related research and improve access to telemedicine at 287 locations, of which 181 are unserved and 106 underserved. Partner funding total of $250, from local community members.
• County: Mahnomen
  Arvig
  Arvig – Naytahwaush Area
  Grant: $326,111
  Local Match: $326,111
  Total Budget: $652,222
  This Border-to-Border project will bring fiber to the home near Naytahwaush in Mahnomen County. Arvig will bring broadband to 137 passings via an all fiber-to-the-home construction project. All locations would be able to receive up to 10 Gbps download speeds and 1 Gbps upload. This area consists of mostly residential customers (some of whom work from home) with a few businesses. The White Earth Tribe is in support of the project.

Past grant:

• 2017 – Garden Valley Telephone Company – Bejou – GRANT $1,304,421

Find more articles on broadband in Mahnomen County (https://tinyurl.com/4bfrr34x)

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)

Rank: 54
Code: Yellow
(See Blandin Foundation interactive map)

Le Sueur County: When Federal Funding gets in the way

Le Sueur County ranks 54 (down four places) for broadband access out of 87 counties. Le Sueur has been working hard on better broadband in 2018. In 2020, they became a Blandin Broadband Community.

The community (especially Le Sueur County Broadband Initiative county) is active with an annual booth at the County Fair and other activities. They were hit hard when LTD Broadband was awarded federal funding and then funding was revoked. They lost the funding but also lost time when they were unable to apply for grants because of LTD Broadband’s award.

They are also concerned about being in a potentially precarious position because looking at access in Le Sueur County using the FCC National Map there is a big discrepancy between wireline access (78.43 percent coverage) and wireline with fixed wireless (96.24 percent). Minnesota doesn’t currently take fixed wireless into consideration when defining areas eligible for grants; the federal government does include access to fixed wireless.

• Over the years, Le Sueur County (or cities within) has invested $ 814,000 (total) for matches for 3 successful MN Broadband grants. This is an indicator of local government that is engaged and (literally) invested in better, local broadband.
• Le Sueur County will benefit from a 2024 $1,101,801 MN Broadband grant (Round 10) award that will serve 148 locations.
• Le Sueur County will benefit from 3 line extension awards (Rounds 1 and 2), which extend broadband to individual locations.
• Last years’ estimates indicated that it would cost $21 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, Lake ranked 26 using Microsoft’s Digital Equity Tool, which looks at various factors of a community.
• In May 2024, Le Sueur was awarded $1 million for the Le Sueur County Broadband Initiative. These funds will be used to expand broadband access throughout the county.

Broadband Access:

2024 Grants:

• County: Le Sueur
  Bevcomm Inc Tyrone Township Fiber Expansion Project
  Grant: $1,101,801
  Local Match: $367,267
  Total Budget: $1,469,068
  This Low Density Bevcomm Inc. Tyrone Township project will build underground fiber-to-the-premise technology that will enable data rates of up to 1Gbps (1,000Mbps) symmetrically to each subscriber on the network with unlimited data in Tyrone Township in Le Sueur County. This project will serve 148 unserved rural locations including 104 homes, 36 businesses, and 9 farms. Funding partner, Tyrone Township will be contributing $164,000 to this project.

Past Grants:

• 2022: Bevcomm – Rural Le Sueur County Broadband Expansion Project – Phase Two – GRANT $941,576 (Learn more)

• 2016 – ECKLES TELEPHONE COMPANY (DBA BEVCOMM) RURAL HEIDELBERG– GRANT:  $188,000
• BEVCOMM (Eckles Telephone Company) – Le Sueur County Project – GRANT $1,857,376

Find more articles on broadband in Le Sueur County (http://tinyurl.com/jbg7ghy)

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)

Rank: 34
Code: Yellow
(See Blandin Foundation interactive map)

Lake of the Woods County: Progress in the last year

Lake of the Woods County ranks 34 (up 19 places) for broadband access out of 87 counties. After hovering about 78 percent for many years, Lake of the Woods saw nice progress in the last year and that is why their ranking went from red to yellow.

I don’t hear much about their broadband efforts and they have had no Line Extension or MN Broadband grants in 2024 but I’m hoping the latest success build a momentum leading up to BEAD opportunities.

• Over the years, Lake of the Woods County (or cities within) has not invested in matches for any successful MN Broadband grants.
• Lake of the Woods County will not benefit from a 2024 MN Broadband grant.
• of the Woods County will not benefit from any line extension awards.
• Last years’ estimates indicated that it would cost $5 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, Lake of the Woods ranked 82 using Microsoft’s Digital Equity Tool, which looks at various factors of a community.
• Lake of the Woods was a Blandin Broadband Community.

Broadband Access:

Past Grants:

• 2022: Wikstrom Telephone Co. Inc, $665,699.00 (to serve Beltrami, Kittson, Lake of the Woods, Marshall)
• 2016 – SJOBERG’S INC. ROSEAU AND LAKE OF THE WOODS COUNTIES — GRANT: $354,740
• 2016 – WIKSTROM TELEPHONE COMPANY WIKTEL NW MN – GRANT: $950,823
• 2019: Wikstrom Telephone – Wiktel NW MN Broadband Project – GRANT $1,151,526

Find more articles on broadband in Lake of the Woods County (http://tinyurl.com/gpfu7dd)

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)

Rank: 74
Code: Yellow
(See Blandin Foundation interactive map)

Kandiyohi County: bumped up to yellow ranking

Kandiyohi County’s rank has bumped up from 74 to 60 for broadband access out of 87 counties.

Led by the Kandiyohi County has been working on better broadband for years but it seems as if they were able to get traction with a couple of providers last year that is continuing based on grants awarded.

Kandiyohi is creating partnerships that should help them get better broadband, especially when federal (BEAD) funding becomes available. The county continues to plan for better broadband in the future.

• Over the years, Kandiyohi County (or cities within) has invested $3,144,780 (total) for matches for 3 successful MN Broadband grants. This is an indicator of local government that is engaged and (literally) invested in better, local broadband.
• Kandiyohi County will benefit from four 2024 MN Broadband grant:
  $662,430 to serve 167 locations,
  $744,965 to serve 188 locations,
  $8,202,000 to serve 1,289 locations and
  $590,709 to serve 124 locations.
• Kandiyohi County will benefit from 35 line extension awards (Rounds 1 and 2), which extend broadband to individual locations.
• Last years’ estimates indicated that it would cost $19.5 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, Kandiyohi ranked 84^th using Microsoft’s Digital Equity Tool, which looks at various factors of a community.

Broadband Access:

2024 Grants

• County: Kandiyohi
  Meeker Cooperative Light & Power Association Gennessee Township
  Grant: $662,430
  Local Match: $809,637
  Total Budget: $1,472,067
  The Meeker Cooperative Light & Power Association Gennessee Township project will provide fiber-to-the premise broadband access to rural sites in Gennessee Township in Kandiyohi County, Minnesota. This project will improve unserved/underserved levels of service up to 1 gigabit per second download and upload speeds resulting in more efficient and effective e-learning, telemedicine options and enhanced precision agriculture tools to 167 locations, including 120 unserved and 47 underserved addresses. Kandiyohi County has pledged $327,692 and Gennessee Township has pledged $71,200 towards this project.
• County: Kandiyohi
  Representative Dave Baker, Senator Andrew R. Lang
  Meeker Cooperative Light & Power Association 58 – Kandiyohi Township
  Grant: $744,965
  Local Match: $910,513
  Total Budget: $1,655,478
  The Meeker Cooperative Light & Power Association Kandiyohi Township project will provide fiber-to-the premise broadband access to rural sites in Kandiyohi Township in Kandiyohi County, Minnesota. This project will improve unserved/underserved levels of service up to 1 gigabit per second download and upload speeds resulting in more efficient and effective e-learning, telemedicine options and enhanced precision agriculture tools to 188 locations, including 136 unserved and 52 underserved addresses. Kandiyohi County has pledged $224,000 and Kandiyohi Township has pledged $71,600 towards this project.
• County: Kandiyohi
  Federated Telephone Cooperated
  Federated Tel – W Kandiyohi
  Grant: $8,202,000
  Local Match: $8,202,000
  Total Budget: $16,404,000
  The Kandiyohi County Western FTTP Project is a buried Fiber to the Premise (FTTP) high-speed wireline broadband development project that will serve 1,289 locations in the five Kandiyohi County Townships of Colfax, Dovre, Lake Andrew, Norway Lake and St. Johns. Funding partners include Kandiyohi County ($2,423,575), Colfax Township ($483,600), Dovre Township ($11,700), Lake Andrew Township ($1,103,700), Norway Lake Township ($3,510) and St. Johns Township ($45,500). Of the total 1,289 locations that will be served, 458 are currently unserved (including at least 35 farms, 22 businesses, and 2 community anchor institutions) and 831 are underserved (including at least 23 farms, 27 business, and 2 community anchor institutions). At the completion of this project, all 1,289 locations will have access to service packages up to one (1) gigabit symmetrical speeds. Currently, FTC’s service area includes eight different Minnesota counties covering approximately 2,000 square miles with 2,800 miles of fiber.
• County: Kandiyohi
  Meeker Coop Light & Power Association
  Meeker Fahlun
  Grant: $590,709
  Local Match: $590,710
  Total Budget: $1,181,419
  Meeker’s Fahlun project includes $333,587 of Kandiyohi County ($283,986.50) and Fahlun Township ($49,600) ARPA funds in order to provide fiber-to-the-premise broadband to 124 rural sites in Fahlun Township in Kandiyohi County, Minnesota. The project area includes several businesses and farms, as well as a township hall. Meeker has provided electrical power to its members since 1935 and satellite internet service since 2005. As VIBRANT Broadband, they launched fixed wireless and fiber to the home broadband services in July 2019. VIBRANT Broadband is currently installed in over 5100 locations in rural central Minnesota.

Past Grants:

• 2023: Meeker Coop Light & Power – Lake Elizabeth-East Lake Lillian Townships – GRANT $1,428,066
• 2023: Meeker Coop Light & Power – Harrison Township – GRANT $533,959
• 2022: Federated Telephone Cooperative, $4,913,505.50

• 2016 – FRONTIER KANDIYOHI INITIATIVE – GRANT: $1,015,275
• 2015 – MVTV Wireless Middle Mile – Grant award: $808,080
• 2017, Consolidated Telecommunications Co. (CTC) was awarded a $4.94 million grant to improve serves in New London, Spicer and Willmar, and Frontier was awarded a grant of $1.02 million to improve service in rural Kandiyohi County. Unfortunately, the CTC project did not work out.

Find more articles on broadband in Kandiyohi. (http://tinyurl.com/z9wk7bm)

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)

Rank: 32
Code: Yellow
(See Blandin Foundation interactive map)

Itasca County: recent grant will help improve access

Itasca County ranks 31 (Down one place) for broadband access out of 87 counties. They have had incremental but steady growth in the last two years. In February 2024, Paul Bunyan announced the expansion of  FTTH to 1,500 locations in Itasca, St. Louis, and Aitkin Counties. That should help close some gaps but not to the point of earning a green versus yellow ranking.

• Over the years, Itasca County (or cities within) has not invested in matches for any successful MN Broadband grants.
• Itasca County will not benefit from a 2024 MN Broadband grant.
• Itasca County will benefit from 12 line extension awards (Rounds 1 and 2), which extend broadband to individual locations.
• Last years’ estimates indicated that it would cost $26 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, Itasca ranked 48 using Microsoft’s Digital Equity Tool, which looks at various factors of a community.
• Itasca County is home to the Blandin Foundation and the community is engaged in broadband development; in early 2022, they looked at the local digital divide before and after/during COVID
• In 2023, Paul Bunyan Telephone was awarded $10 million in ReConnect funds for networks in Hubbard, Itasca, and St. Louis counties.

Past Grants:

• 2023: Paul Bunyan Telephone awarded $10 million in ReConnect funds for networks in Hubbard, Itasca, and St. Louis counties
• 2017 – Paul Bunyan Communications – North Central Fiber – GRANT $802,620
• 2016 MEDIACOM HARRIS TOWNSHIP – GRANT: $224,369
• 2016 – PAUL BUNYAN COMMUNICATIONS HUBBARD, BECKER & ITASCA COUNTIES – GRANT: $1,742,232
• 2015 – Paul Bunyan Central Itasca County Fiber – Grant Award: $1,980,000
• Paul Bunyan Communications – North Central Minnesota Fiber Project– GRANT $2,562,916

Find more articles on broadband in Itasca County. (http://tinyurl.com/grujo6t)

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)