Rank: 86
Code: Red
(See Blandin Foundation interactive map)

Pine County: working hard but not getting through

Pine County ranks 77 for broadband access and 86 for digital equity out of 87 counties. They have hovered around 35-40 percent coverage to broadband of 100 Mbps down and 20 up since we have been tracking. There is a slight dip in access this year but it is within a margin of error and may simply reflect a more granular look at access. They have 10959 households without access to broadband at that speed. Estimates indicate that it will cost $102 million to get to ubiquitous broadband in the county.

Pine County will benefit from a border to border grant announced on December 2020:

• East Central Energy, $4,750,000.00 (serving Pine and Kanabec) (Learn more)

Pine County has been actively seeking better broadband for years; they were part of a Blandin Broadband Communities cohort a few years ago. Unfortunately, much of Pine County is served by one large national provider. That may be a bottleneck to better access in those areas due to the lack of competition can impact the drive for improvement.

They are still code red, but that represents their barriers more than their hard work and perseverance.

Broadband Access:

Digital Equity:

Pine County ranks 86 out of 87 for digital equity. (See full Digital Equity Profile)

Pine County ranks 63 out of 87 for computer ownership. 88.8 percent of homes have a computer of device as compared to statewide ownership of 95.5 percent.

Past grants

• 2017 – SCI (Savage Communications Inc.) — Dell Grove Township Broadband Expansion – GRANT $118,248

Checklist:

• Find more articles on broadband in Pine County (http://tinyurl.com/ha8burg)
• 100/20 Mbps ranking: 86 (same)
• Has worked with Blandin: yes
• Has received a MN Broadband grant
• Household density: 11.8

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: 10
Code: Green
(See Blandin Foundation interactive map)

Pennington County: Still on top 10 list

Pennington County ranks 6 for broadband access and 35 for digital equity out of 87 counties. They have almost ubiquitous coverage with 99.4 percent coverage to broadband of 100 Mbps down and 20 up. They have 40 households without access to broadband at that speed. Estimates indicate that it will cost $370,000 to get to ubiquitous broadband in the county.

In 2018, Pennington went from 9 percent access to 90 percent with the help of state (border to border) and federal loan (USDA to Garden Valley). They have had steady improvement ever since, which is why they earn a green code.

Broadband Access:

Digital Equity:

Pennington County ranks 35 out of 87 for digital equity. (See full Digital Equity Profile)

Pennington County ranks 28 out of 87 for computer ownership. 92.2 percent of homes have a computer of device as compared to statewide ownership of 95.5 percent.

Past grants:

• 2017 – Sjoberg’s Inc. – NW MN Rural Broadband – GRANT $307,088
• 2016 – CENTURYLINK THIEF RIVER MIDDLE MILE – GRANT: $1,324,400
• 2016 – GARDEN VALLEY TELEPHONE COMPANY RURAL THIEF RIVER FALLS EAST – GRANT: $2,027,035
• 2019: Wikstrom Telephone – Wiktel NW MN Broadband Project – GRANT $1,151,526

Checklist:

• Find more articles on Pennington County https://blandinonbroadband.org/?s=pennington&submit=Search
• 100/20 Mbps ranking: 6 (up 4)
• Has worked with Blandin: yes
• Has received a MN Broadband grant: yes
• Household density: 10.7

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)

https://blandinonbroadband.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/infrastructure-grant-otter-tail_tcm1045-134161.pdfRank: 68
Code: Red
(See Blandin Foundation interactive map)

Otter Tail County: recent progress but needs more

Otter Tail County ranks 68 for broadband access and 50 for digital equity out of 87 counties. They have seen incremental improvement since 2020, currently having 70.54 percent coverage to broadband of 100 Mbps down and 20 up in 2022. They have 10755 households without access to broadband at that speed. Estimates indicate that it will cost $100 million to get to ubiquitous broadband in the county.

Otter Tail County will benefit from two border to border grants announced December 2022:

• East Otter Tail Telephone Co. dba Arvig, $1,140,704.90
• Otter Tail Telcom, LLC, $3,381,661.00 (Learn more)

In July (2022), Otter Tail County committed to investing $2.8 million of their ARPA funding on broadband and it sounds like that comes with plans to pursue more federal or state funding. That is a great sign but with their investment is a small percentage of the estimated cost to get to ubiquitous coverage by 2026 so they retain their code red.

Broadband Access:

Digital Equity:

Otter Tail County ranks 43 out of 87 for digital equity. (See full Digital Equity Profile)

Otter Tail County ranks 50 out of 87 for computer ownership. 90.5 percent of homes have a computer of device as compared to statewide ownership of 95.5 percent.

Past grants:

• 2017 – Arvig – Pelican Rapids rural non-ACAM – GRANT $633,642
• 2017 – Otter Tail Telcom LLC – Red Oak Drive – GRANT $173,683
• 2017 – WCTA (West Central Telephone Association) – Wadena Rural Phase III – GRANT $874,581
• 2016 – OTTER TAIL TELCOM BATTLE LAKE – GRANT: $ 238,170
• 2016 – OTTER TAIL TELCOM FERGUS FALLS AREA – GRANT: $ 279,271
• 2016 – WCTA WADENA RURAL NORTH — GRANT: $718,850
• 2015 – Otter Tail Telcom Fergus Falls 864 – Hwy 59 – Grant award: $295,432
• 2015 – Otter Tail Telcom Hwy 59/94 PRT to POM – Grant award: $164,207
• 2014 – Otter Tail Telcom, Stuart Lake – Award: $105,364.
• 2014 – Otter Tail Telcom, 245th – Award: $108,553.
• 2019: Otter Tail Telcom LLC – Long and Fish Lakes Project – GRANT $156,954
• 2019: Arvig (Loretel Systems, Inc.) – Cormorant Lakes Area Project – GRANT $430,780

Checklist:

• Find more articles on Otter TailCounty https://blandinonbroadband.org/?s=otter+tail&submit=Search
• 100/20 Mbps ranking: 68 (down 1)
• Has worked with Blandin: yes
• Has received a MN Broadband grant: yes
• Household density: 16.4

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: 17
Code: Green
(See Blandin Foundation interactive map)

Olmsted County: almost there

Olmsted County ranks 17 for broadband access and 5 for digital equity out of 87 counties. They have had slow steady progress since 2019, landing at 94.38 percent coverage to broadband of 100 Mbps down and 20 up in 2021 to 60.36 percent coverage in 2022. They have 3893 households without access to broadband at that speed. Estimates indicate that it will cost $36.2 million to get to ubiquitous broadband in the county.

Olmsted County will benefit from a border to border grant announced in December 2022:

• Kasson & Mantorville Telephone Company, $1,620,007.00

Olmsted County is nearly there, which is why they retain the green code. They are the home of the Mayo Clinic, which acts as an anchor for providers looking to expand service.

Broadband Access:

Digital Equity:

Olmsted County ranks 5 out of 87 for digital equity. (See full Digital Equity Profile)

Olmsted County ranks 8 out of 87 for computer ownership. 96.2 percent of homes have a computer of device as compared to statewide ownership of 95.5 percent.

Past grants:

• 2016 – KMTELECOM RURAL MANTORVILLE – GRANT: $764,663
• 2019: BEVCOMM (Pine Island Telephone Company) – NE Pine Island Fiber Project Phase I – GRANT $222,222

• MN State Grants awarded in 2021: Charter Communications (Spectrum) – Cambridge Hills – GRANT $28,950 This middle and last mile project will serve approximately 41 unserved households in Marion Township in Olmsted County.

• KMTelecom – Rock Dell Northwest Fiber Build – GRANT $385,173 This last mile project will serve approximately 125 unserved locations in the rural Ashland and Vernon townships in Dodge County and Salem Township in Olmsted County.

Checklist:

• Find more articles on broadband in Olmsted County (http://tinyurl.com/gmslyhe)
• 100/20 Mbps ranking: 17 (same)
• Has worked with Blandin: no
• Has received a MN Broadband grant: yes
• Household density: 105.6

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: 80
Code: Red
(See Blandin Foundation interactive map)

Norman County: recent progress but needs more

Norman County ranks 80 for broadband access and 72 for digital equity out of 87 counties. They have been hovering at 55 percent coverage to broadband of 100 Mbps down and 20 up since 2020. They have 1437 households without access to broadband at that speed. Estimates indicate that it will cost $13 million to get to ubiquitous broadband in the county.

Norman County is one of five counties that has not yet received border to border funding. They have not worked with Blandin Foundation. There is a little demonstration of active work on improving broadband in the county and that is why they maintain their red code.

They have almost ubiquitous access to internet at speeds of 25 Mbps down and 3 up and they rank low for digital equity, which means county commissioner and maybe even incumbent providers are not hearing of greater need because people have what they need for email and web browsing but increased access and better use may open doors for the community.

They are code red.

Broadband Access:

Digital Equity:

Norman County ranks 72 out of 87 for digital equity. (See full Digital Equity Profile)

Norman County ranks 80 out of 87 for computer ownership. 86.7 percent of homes have a computer of device as compared to statewide ownership of 95.5 percent.

Past grants:

none

Checklist:

• Find more articles on broadband in Norman County (http://tinyurl.com/zs7nuqj)
• 100/20 Mbps ranking: 80 (down 4)
• Has worked with Blandin: no
• Has received a MN Broadband grant: no
• Household density: 3.7

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: 44
Code:  Yellow
(See Blandin Foundation interactive map)

Nobles County: steady progress but needs to continue

Nobles County ranks 44 for broadband access and 48 for digital equity out of 87 counties. They have hovered around 80-81 percent coverage to broadband of 100 Mbps down and 20 up since 2018. There is a slight dip in access this year but it is within a margin of error and may simply reflect a more granular look at access.  They have 5527 households without access to broadband at that speed. Estimates indicate that it will cost $51.4 million to get to ubiquitous broadband in the county.

Nobles County was a Blandin Broadband Community (BBC); they have deployed lots of broadband adoption programs. They have benefited from past MN Border to Border grants. But they have been hung up at 81 percent since 2019.

Nobles County has shown their commitment to broadband; last fall (2022) they committed $4 million to Lismore Cooperative Telephone’s Fiber to the Home project as they apply for federal funding. Because of that commitment, Nobles County retains their yellow code.

Broadband Access:

Digital Equity:

Nobles County ranks 69 out of 87 for digital equity. (See full Digital Equity Profile)

Nobles County ranks 48 out of 87 for computer ownership. 90.6 percent of homes have a computer of device as compared to statewide ownership of 95.5 percent.

Past grants

• 2016 LISMORE COOPERATIVE TELEPHONE NOBLES COUNTY BROADBAND – GRANT: $2,944,578
• 2015 – MVTV Wireless Middle Mile – Grant award: $808,080

Checklist:

• Find more articles on broadband in Nobles County (http://tinyurl.com/j52xvxu)
• 100/20 Mbps ranking: 44 (down 5)
• Has worked with Blandin: yes
• Has received a MN Broadband grant: yes
• Household density: 11.6

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)

Nicollet County: stagnant since 2019 but just got a grant

Nicollet County ranks 53 for broadband access and 17 for digital equity out of 87 counties. They saw a nice leap in access in 2019 but have been stagnant at 78 percent coverage to broadband of 100 Mbps down and 20 up since. Their access actually decreased this year, but that is likely due to increased granularity of reporting and are within an acceptable margin of error.  They have 3037 households without access to broadband at that speed. Estimates indicate that it will cost $28.2 million to get to ubiquitous broadband in the county.

Nicollet County will benefit from a border to border grant announced in December 2022:

• Nuvera Communications, Inc. – Nicollet County RTF DTF FTTP – GRANT $479,011 (Learn more)

Nicollet County saw great progress in 2019; they have been stagnant since then. They saw the one of greatest drops in broadband ranking – down 8 spots. They may see progress from Fidium Fiber, part of Consolidated Communications, as they extend service to the area. The most recent grant helps them hold onto their yellow code as opposed to going red.

Broadband Access:

Digital Equity:

Nicollet County ranks 17 out of 87 for digital equity. (See full Digital Equity Profile)

Nicollet County ranks 32 out of 87 for computer ownership. 91.7 percent of homes have a computer of device as compared to statewide ownership of 95.5 percent.

Past grant:

• 2015 – MVTV Wireless Middle Mile = Grant award: $808,080

• MN State Grant awarded in 2021: Nuvera Communications, Inc. – New Ulm HDT 202 FTTP – GRANT $444,386 This last mile project north of New Ulm will serve approximately 80 unserved and 67 underserved locations in Nicollet County.

Checklist:

• Find more articles on broadband in Nicollet County (http://tinyurl.com/h3zwpbd)
• 100/20 Mbps ranking: 53 (down 8)
• Has worked with Blandin: yes
• Has received a MN Broadband grant: yes
• Household density: 28.6

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: 81
Code:  Red
(See Blandin Foundation interactive map)

Murray County: getting state and local investment just need more

Murray County ranks 81 for broadband access and 70 for digital equity out of 87 counties. They have hovered around 50 percent coverage to broadband of 100 Mbps down and 20 up since we started tracking. They have 2133 households without access to broadband at that speed. Estimates indicate that it will cost $19.8 million to get to ubiquitous broadband in the county.

Murray County will benefit from a border to border grant announced in December 2022:

• Woodstock Telephone Company – Lake Sarah Township FTTP – GRANT $1,333,199

In 2018, with support from the Blandin Foundation, released a feasibility study that was not promising; it indicated that it is not economically feasible to build fiber everywhere. Subsequently, they are left looking at hybrid models, trying to convince the state to increase the 50 percent match or find another solution. Last summer (2022), the county committed $500,000 to support the broadband project that ended up receiving a border to border grant.

They are working, they just need to keep working and because of it the main code red standing.

Broadband Access:

Digital Equity:

Murray County ranks 62 out of 87 for digital equity. (See full Digital Equity Profilev)

Murray County ranks 70 out of 87 for computer ownership. 88.3 percent of homes have a computer of device as compared to statewide ownership of 95.5 percent.

Past grants

• 2015 – MVTV Wireless Middle Mile – Grant award: $808,080

MN State Grants awarded in 2021:

• Lismore Cooperative Telephone Company (Lismore Broadband) – Iona FTTP – GRANT  $219,714 This last mile and middle mile project will serve approximately 100 unserved locations including 75 households, nine businesses, 13 farms, and three community institutions within the town of Iona.

• MN State Grants awarded in 2021: Lismore Cooperative Telephone Company (Lismore Broadband) – Iona FTTP – GRANT  $219,714 This last mile and middle mile project will serve approximately 100 unserved locations including 75 households, nine businesses, 13 farms, and three community institutions within the town of Iona.

Checklist:

• Find more articles on broadband in Murray County (http://tinyurl.com/j9sr5gf)
• 100/20 Mbps ranking: 81 (down 4)
• Has worked with Blandin: yes
• Has received a MN Broadband grant: yes
• Household density: 6.1

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: 37
Code:  Yellow
(See Blandin Foundation interactive map)

Mower County: a step back with RDOF snafu with LTD Broadband

Mower County ranks 37 for broadband access and 51 for digital equity out of 87 counties. They had slow growth for a few years and now saw a small slip with 83.25 percent coverage to broadband of 100 Mbps down and 20 up in 2022. The slip is likely due to increased granularity of reporting, not an actual decrease. They have 2835 households without access to broadband at that speed. Estimates indicate that it will cost $26.4 million to get to ubiquitous broadband in the county.

Mower County saw a great leap in access in 2019 and they have had steady growth since. They have some engaged providers in their area. They seem a little stagnant but last summer (2022) the Mower County Board of Commissioners met to talk about various options and even local investment of ARPA funding into improving local broadband. Unfortunately one of the providers they were working with was LTD Broadband.

LTD Broadband was awarded the opportunity to submit a long form to get federal funding (RDOF) to deploy FTTH throughout much of Minnesota but their application for RDOF has since been rejected. And the Minnesota PUC (Public Utilities Commission) are looking at revoking the ETC designation that LTD needed to qualify for RDOF money.

But Mower County has demonstrated an interest in engaging and investing in broadband so they maintain their yellow code.

Broadband Access:

Digital Equity:

Mower County ranks 51 out of 87 for digital equity. (See full Digital Equity Profile)

Mower County ranks 36 out of 87 for computer ownership. 91.5 percent of homes have a computer of device as compared to statewide ownership of 95.5 percent.

Past grants:

MN State Grant awarded in 2021:

• KMTelecom – Rock Dell Southwest Fiber Build – GRANT $404,709 This last mile project will serve approximately 96 unserved households, 70 farms and five unserved businesses in rural Vernon Township in Dodge County and Sargeant Township in Mower County.

Checklist:

• Find more articles on broadband in Mower County (http://tinyurl.com/j9sr5gf)
• 100/20 Mbps ranking: 37 (down 2)
• Has worked with Blandin: yes
• Has received a MN Broadband grant: yes
• Household density: 23.7

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: 51
Code: Yellow
(See Blandin Foundation interactive map)

Morrison County: steady progress but recent grant might help

Morrison County ranks 51 for broadband access and 66 for digital equity out of 87 counties. They have see steady but incremental improvement since we started tracking, landing at 77.57 percent coverage to broadband of 100 Mbps down and 20 up in 2022. They have 3605 households without access to broadband at that speed. Estimates indicate that it will cost $33.5 million to get to ubiquitous broadband in the county.

Morrison County will benefit from a ReConnect grant through Upsala Cooperative.

Morrison County has been actively engaged in seeking better broadband for several years, including as part of the Resilient Region as a Blandin Broadband Community.

Officials from Morrison County and the city of Little Falls  met last summer (2022) to discuss ways in which they would work together for better broadband. That didn’t work out for the first round of border to border funding but the second round applications are open now.

Morrison is stays at a yellow code, because while they have seen consistent improvement, they need more.

Broadband Access:

Digital Equity:

Morrison County ranks 80 out of 87 for digital equity. (See full Digital Equity Profile)

Morrison County ranks 66 out of 87 for computer ownership. 88.6 percent of homes have a computer of device as compared to statewide ownership of 95.5 percent.

Past grants:

• 2017 – Benton Cooperative Telephone Company – Rice Ramey – GRANT $765,015
• 2016 – BENTON COOPERATIVE TELEPHONE COMPANY BUCKMAN – GRANT: $276,230
• 2014 – Consolidated Telephone Cooperative, Region 5 Virtual Highway Project – Amount $2 million
• 2019: CTC (Consolidated Telephone Company) – Fort Ripley/Executive Acres Project – GRANT $830,587
• 2019: Benton Cooperative Telephone Company – Ramey Phase I – GRANT $936,759

• MN State Grants awarded in 2021: Benton Cooperative Telephone Company – Ramey Phase 2 Project – GRANT $338,011 This last mile project will serve 119 unserved locations in the Ramey telephone exchange located in portions of Lakin and Mount Morris townships in Morrison County and a small portion of Dailey and Page townships located in Mille Lacs County.

• Sytek Communications – Morrison/Todd/Stearns County FTTP Project – GRANT $1,048,668 This last mile project will bring service to 130 locations in Southwest Morrison, Southeastern Todd and Northeastern Stearns counties.

Checklist:

• Find more articles on broadband in Morrison County (http://tinyurl.com/hxkk5ur)
• 100/20 Mbps ranking: 51 (up 5)
• Has worked with Blandin: yes
• Has received a MN Broadband grant: yes
• Household density: 13.9

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: 73
Code: Red
(See Blandin Foundation interactive map)

Mille Lacs County: new provider in the area might help

Mille Lacs County ranks 73 for broadband access and 81 for digital equity out of 87 counties. They have seen incremental but steady improvement since we’ve been tracking but landing at only 66.7 percent coverage to broadband of 100 Mbps down and 20 up in 2022. They have 4256 households without access to broadband at that speed. Estimates indicate that it will cost $40 million to get to ubiquitous broadband in the county.

Mille Lacs will benefit from https://blandinonbroadband.org/2022/12/15/more-on-mn-broadband-grant-in-mille-lacs-county/wo border to border grants announced in December 2022:

• Savage Communications Inc. (SCI) – Northern Mille Lacs County Broadband Expansion – GRANT $476,108
• Benton Cooperative Telephone Company – Borgholm Township Project – GRANT $1,118,289 (Learn more)

Mille Lacs County was part of the Blandin Broadband Communities (BBC) initiative from 2012-2014. In November (2022), the Mille Lacs County Board of Commissioners met to hear about broadband options. The outgoing Economic Development Manager Mike Wimmer spoke optimistically of East Central Energy new entry to the broadband provider business, which will hopefully help them accelerate their improvement but until we see that play out, they maintain their red coding.

Projected allocation of American Recovery Project ARP funds in Mille Lacs is $5,096,262; broadband is one possible use. Mille Lacs’ history with the Blandin Foundation should help the community recognize the value of investing ARP in broadband. Because if their slow progress, they are code red.

Broadband Access:

Digital Equity:

Mille Lacs County ranks 81 out of 87 for digital equity. (See full Digital Equity Profile)

Mille Lacs County ranks 44 out of 87 for computer ownership. 90.9 percent of homes have a computer of device as compared to statewide ownership of 95.5 percent.

Past grants:

• 2016 – BENTON COOPERATIVE TELEPHONE COMPANY BOCK – GRANT: $510,000
• 2019: Benton Cooperative Telephone Company – Ramey Phase I – GRANT $936,759

• MN State Grants awarded in 2021: Savage Communications Inc. (SCI) – Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe (Onamia) Broadband Expansion – GRANT $70,261 This last mile fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) project will serve 102 unserved households within the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe Reservation in Mille Lacs County.

• Benton Cooperative Telephone Company – Ramey Phase 2 Project – GRANT $338,011 This last mile project will serve 119 unserved locations in the Ramey telephone exchange located in portions of Lakin and Mount Morris townships in Morrison County and a small portion of Dailey and Page townships located in Mille Lacs County.

Checklist:

• Find more articles on broadband in Mille Lacs County (http://tinyurl.com/h7wcdjj)
• 100/20 Mbps ranking: 73 (down 4)
• Has worked with Blandin: yes
• Has received a MN Broadband grant: yes
• Household density: 18.8

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: 61
Code: Yellow
(See Blandin Foundation interactive map)

Meeker County: building momentum with state grants

Meeker County ranks 61 for broadband access and 50 for digital equity out of 87 counties. They have had steady increase in access since 2017 with 72;85 53 percent coverage to broadband of 100 Mbps down and 20 up in 2022. They have 5527 households without access to broadband at that speed. Estimates indicate that it will cost $51.4 million to get to ubiquitous broadband in the county.

Meeker County will benefit from a few border to border grants announced in December 2022:

• Meeker Cooperative Light & Power Association (Vibrant Broadband) – Big Swan Lake – GRANT $94,182
• Meeker Cooperative Light & Power Association (Vibrant Broadband) – Collinwood Lake – GRANT $104,337
• Meeker Cooperative Light & Power Association (Vibrant Broadband) – Dunns & Richardson Lakes – GRANT $80,202
• Meeker Cooperative Light & Power Association (Vibrant Broadband) – Lake Erie – GRANT $19,093
• Meeker Cooperative Light & Power Association (Vibrant Broadband) – Long Lake – GRANT $29,702 (Learn more)

Last year, Meeker Cooperative built fiber to the home in Litchfield.

Meeker County has been engaged in broadband expansion for years. In  2017, Meeker County released a broadband feasibility study, with Blandin Foundation’s support. They released an update in 2018.

They are starting to get the push necessary to get them ubiquitous broadband so they have upgrades from code red to yellow. In fact, they saw the one of greatest increases in county ranking this year! Up 11 places!

Broadband Access:

Digital Equity:

Meeker County ranks 50 out of 87 for digital equity. (See full Digital Equity Profile)

Meeker County ranks 41 out of 87 for computer ownership. 91.1 percent of homes have a computer of device as compared to statewide ownership of 95.5 percent.

Past grants:

• MN State Grant awarded in 2021: Meeker Cooperative Light & Power Association (Vibrant Broadband) – Lake Koronis – GRANT $41,927 This last mile project will serve approximately 28 unserved and seven underserved locations in Union Grove Township in Meeker County.

• 2019: Nuvera Communications, Inc. – Hutchinson W Project – GRANT $346,282

Checklist:

• Find more articles on broadband in Meeker County (http://tinyurl.com/gltzvoc)
• 100/20 Mbps ranking: 61 (up 2)
• Has worked with Blandin: yes
• Has received a MN Broadband grant: yes
• Household density: 16.4

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)

McLeod County: maybe the tide has turned

McLeod County ranks 54 for broadband access and 32 for digital equity out of 87 counties. They have gone from 58 percent coverage to broadband of 100 Mbps down and 20 up in 2021 to 75.48 percent access this year. They have 3879 households without access to broadband at that speed. Estimates indicate that it will cost $36 million to get to ubiquitous broadband in the county.

McLeod County will benefit from a few border to border grants announced in December 2022:

• Nuvera Communications, Inc. – Belle Lake and Hutchinson East FTTP – GRANT $1,840,250
• Mediacom Minnesota LLC – Swan Lake – GRANT $99,156 (Learn more)

Last year was the first time McLeod benefited from a border to border grant but they have more coming for 2022. In April 2022, area leaders met with the Office of Broadband Development to talk about broadband; they have a momentum going and that’s why their code has gone from red to yellow. In fact, they saw the second greatest increase in county ranking this year! Up 20 places!

Broadband Access:

Digital Equity:

McLeod County ranks 32 out of 87 for digital equity. (See full Digital Equity Profile)

McLeod County ranks 39 out of 87 for computer ownership. 91.4 percent of homes have a computer of device as compared to statewide ownership of 95.5 percent.

Past grants:

• MN State Grants awarded in 2021: Nuvera Communications, Inc. – Hutchinson SE FTTP – GRANT $169,369 This last mile project will serve 42 unserved and five underserved locations in the Hutchinson area of McLeod County.

• Winthrop Telephone Company, Inc. – Bismarck & Transit Township FTTP Project – GRANT $716,000 This last mile project will serve 148 unserved and six underserved locations, including homes, businesses and farms, in Bismarck, Transit and Round Grove townships in Sibley and McLeod counties.

Checklist:

• Find more articles on broadband in McLeod County (http://tinyurl.com/hx65gqh)
• 100/20 Mbps ranking: 54 (up 20)
• Has worked with Blandin: no
• Has received a MN Broadband grant: yes
• Household density: 31.3

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: 68
Code:  Red
(See Blandin Foundation interactive map)

Martin County: hoping new engagement spurs investment

Martin County ranks 71 for broadband access and 60 for digital equity out of 87 counties. They have hovered around 67 percent coverage to broadband of 100 Mbps down and 20 up since 2020. They have 3214 households without access to broadband at that speed. Estimates indicate that it will cost $29.9 million to get to ubiquitous broadband in the county.

Martin will benefit from a border to border grants announced in December 2022:

• Bevcomm – Rural Faribault and Martin Counties Fiber Expansion Project – Phase Three – GRANT $1,444,030 (serving Faribault and Martin Counties)

In July, the Ceylon City Council has given Federated Broadband $1 million in Community Development Block Grant/CARES for Fiber to the Home.

Hopefully, these projects will spur more momentum for better broadband but until there’s a greater demonstration of that, they stay at code red.

Broadband Access:

Digital Equity:

Martin County ranks 60 out of 87 for digital equity. (See full Digital Equity Profile)

Martin County ranks 45 out of 87 for computer ownership. 90.8 percent of homes have a computer of device as compared to statewide ownership of 95.5 percent.

Past grants:

• 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

Checklist:

• Find more articles on broadband in Martin County (http://tinyurl.com/h37zf6l)
• 100/20 Mbps ranking: 71 (down 3)
• Has worked with Blandin: yes
• Has received a MN Broadband grant: yes
• Household density: 13.3

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)

https://blandinonbroadband.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/infrastructure-grant-marshall_tcm1045-134149.pdf

Rank: 39
Code: Yellow
(See Blandin Foundation interactive map)

Marshall County: incremental improvements fueled by MN grants

Marshall County ranks 39 for broadband access and 61for digital equity out of 87 counties. They have seen incremental progress since their big leap in access in 2018. They currently have 82.9 percent coverage in 2022. They have 755 households without access to broadband at that speed. Estimates indicate that it will cost $7 million to get to ubiquitous broadband in the county.

Marshall will benefit from two border to border awards announced in December 2022:

• Garden Valley Technologies – Rural Warren East & Rural Oslo – GRANT $1,462,569 (serves Marshall and Polk)
• Wikstrom Telephone Co. Inc – Wiktel NW MN Broadband 2022 – GRANT $665,699 (serves Kittson, Lake of the Woods, & Marshall)

Marshall County has seen consistent, incremental improvements in broadband coverage, and they have benefited grants almost every year grants were available. That trend has continued this year. Marshall has engaged providers. They have a history of consistent improvement. If they have an opportunity to invest federal funding into broadband; therefore they are code yellow.

Broadband Access:

Digital Equity:

Marshall County ranks 61 out of 87 for digital equity. (See full Digital Equity Profile)

Marshall County ranks 62 out of 87 for computer ownership. 89.1 percent of homes have a computer of device as compared to statewide ownership of 95.5 percent.

Past grants:

• MN State Grant awarded in 2021: Garden Valley Technologies – Northwest Thief River Falls and Euclid – GRANT $1,640,722 This middle and last mile project will serve 104 unserved and 22 underserved locations in portions of Marshall and Polk counties.

• 2017 – Wikstrom Telephone – Wiktel NW MN Broadband – GRANT $1,307,785
• 2016 – GARDEN VALLEY TELEPHONE COMPANY RURAL THIEF RIVER FALLS EAST – GRANT: $2,027,035
• 2016 – WIKSTROM TELEPHONE COMPANY (WITH BEAMCO, INC.) RURAL ALVARADO – GRANT: $43,481
• 2016 – WIKSTROM TELEPHONE COMPANY WIKTEL NW MN – GRANT: $950,823
• 2014 – Wikstrom Telephone, Kittson, Marshall, Roseau Broadband Extension – Award $425,000
• Wikstrom Telephone – Wiktel NW MN Broadband Project – GRANT $1,151,526

Checklist:

• Find more articles on broadband in Marshall County (http://tinyurl.com/zamfwj3)
• 100/20 Mbps ranking: 37 (up 7)
• Has worked with Blandin: no
• Has received a MN Broadband grant: yes
• Household density: 2.4

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)