Broadband stakeholders in Pine County have confidence that a fully connected future is in store for businesses and residents, by even as early as 2027. Though the county has consistently ranked last for connectivity across the state’s 87 counties, according to Pine County Economic Development Coordinator Lezlie Sauter, projects are in motion to close the gap.
Representatives from SCI Cable, East Central Electric, Midco, and Starwire Technologies met with Pine County Commissioners and staff recently to discuss progress and roadblocks to achieving full connection.
“We promised the county that we wouldn’t take our foot off the gas until we have everyone in the county connected,” Pine County Commissioner Steve Hallan said. “After today, we can concentrate on how we can get to the really, really hard places to serve.”
They have been working on broadband for years…
County commissioner board chair, Josh Mohr, noted that broadband has been on the board’s radar for over the last 10 years. “In today’s world, broadband is just as important as cellular service and electricity – you cannot function. You can’t operate a household without some form of decent broadband,” he added.
Sauter described the perimeters of currently funded projects that cover about two-thirds of the county. The commitment to broadband access really jump-started in 2021, when funding via grants were made more widely available. Funding sources in Pine County broadband build-out included the Community Development Block Grant, ReConnect, Border to Border, ARPA funding, and grants from the Blandin Foundation.
They are working on maps and speed tests to make the case…
Based on the roundtable discussion, Sauter said she will “clean up” current mapping of broadband projects in order to more easily show where the gaps in coverage are currently at. Broadband coverage can be seen through the Pine County GIS tool, though it can be a challenge to decipher all of the layers.
Residents of Pine County are encouraged to test broadband speeds to help the Minnesota Office of Broadband Development with up-to-date information. There is also an application through the office that can be filled out for homes and businesses that do not have wired broadband service available. Filling out an application can help direct grant money to the unserved areas of the county. Find more information on the county website at https://www.pinecountymn.gov/departments/economic_development/broadband.php, or call (651) 259-7610 to speak with the Office of Broadband Development directly.