Category Archives: County Profiles 2023

Steele County Broadband Profile 2023: Yellow rating: Ranking out 32 of 87

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

Steele County: Decent coverage but not much community engagement

Steele County ranks 32 (down six points) for broadband access out of 87 counties. They have 87.59 percent coverage to broadband of 100 Mbps down and 20 up. They have 1661households without access to broadband at that speed. Estimates indicate that it will cost $15.4 million to get to ubiquitous broadband in the county.

County Residential Location Density number of residential locations ≥ 100 Mbps Download/20 Mbps Upload Speeds unserved households Cost to close gap
Steele 31.0 13,384 87.59 1661 15447300

Steele County has not worked with the Blandin Foundation. They have never received a MN Border to Border grant. They were home to a local provider (Jaguar), which was acquired two years ago.

LTD Broadband was awarded the opportunity to submit a long form to get federal funding (RDOF) to deploy FTTH throughout much of Minnesota, including parts of Steele County. The potential RDOF award meant Le Sueur’s state grant application was no longer eligible for other funding. In 2023, the federal funders disqualifies LTD Broadband from receiving funding and the MN Public Utilities Commission is looking at revoking the ETC designation they needed to qualify for funding.  Steele mourns the lost opportunity of being eligible for funding during the LTD Broadband saga.

In December 2022, Spectrum received $158,052 to cover 56 households in Steele County. Steele County retains a yellow ranking but with some concern given the stagnant ranking since 2019.

 

  2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017
100/20 (2026 goal) 87.59 88.28 88.95 87.05 86.86 56.16 95.64
25/3 (2022 goal) 88.38 89 93.26 88.29 88.44 87.79 99.86

Grant

  • Spectrum Mid-America, LLC managed by Charter Communications Inc., $158,052.00

Find more articles on broadband in Steele County (http://tinyurl.com/zd4qhbu)

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)

The maps below on the left comes from the Office of Broadband Development interactive map, reflecting data updated on Oct 31, 2023. Red dots represent locations unserved with wireline broadband; the Orange dots represent underserved locations. The map on the right comes from the FCC National Broadband map showing access to wired and licensed fixed wireless access, the darker the color, the greater percentage of broadband coverage.

Stearns County Broadband Profile 2023: Green rating: Ranking out 42 of 87

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Rank: 42
Code: Green
(See Blandin Foundation interactive map)

Stearns bump up from yellow to green

Stearns County ranks 42 (down nine points) for broadband access and out of 87 counties. They have 84.86 percent coverage to broadband of 100 Mbps down and 20 up. They have 7864 households without access to broadband at that speed. Estimates indicate that it will cost $73.1 million to get to ubiquitous broadband in the county.

County Residential Location Density number of residential locations ≥ 100 Mbps Download/20 Mbps Upload Speeds unserved households Cost to close gap
Stearns 36.9 51,332 84.68 7864 73135200

 

Stearns County saw a great increase in broadband in 2019 and have been stagnant since that time.In December 22, Albany received $746,964 to serve 191 unserved homes and 42 underserved homes in rural Northeastern Stearns County and Melrose Telephone (Arvig) received almost $5 million to reach 945 unserved and 1,204 underserved households, farms and businesses in the central portion of Stearns County near the rural parts of Sauk Centre, Melrose, Meire Grove, Greenwald, Elrosa, Spring Hill, St. Martin (and in-town St. Martin), Roscoe, Farming, Richmond, Cold Spring and Eden Valley.

In 2023, Runestone Telephone received $4.8 million to bring high-speed internet to 628 households, farms, businesses and anchor institutions within rural western Stearns County. Runestone, Albany and Arvig have applications in to the latest (still open) round of Border to Border funding; results should be available in early 2024. And T-Mobile is planning to bring fiber to St Cloud in Stearns County.

While Stearns has been stagnant, the recent successful and hopeful broadband grant applications tip the Stearns ranking to green.

  2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017
100/20 (2026 goal) 84.68 84.69 84.71 82.41 81.07 40.17 38.01
25/3 (2022 goal) 90.65 89.12 93.26 88.04 91.72 88.96 87.58

Grants:

  • 2023: Runestone Telephone Assoc. – Stearns County West Phase 2 – GRANT $4,800,000
  • 2022: Albany Mutual Telephone, $746,964.00
  • 2022: Melrose Telephone Co. dba Arvig, $4,974,570.00 (Learn more)
  • ReConnect funding through Upsala Cooperative Telephone Association in Morrison, Stearns and Todd counties.
  • 2017 – Albany Mutual Telephone Association – Two Rivers Area – GRANT $616,743
  • 2016 – ALBANY MUTUAL TELEPHONE ASSOCIATION BIG WATAB LAKE – GRANT: $726,185
  • Arvig (Melrose Telephone Company) – Eden Valley & Melrose Area Project – GRANT $393,890
  • MN State Grant awarded in 2021: 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.

Find more articles on broadband in Stearns County (http://tinyurl.com/z463nan)

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)

The maps below on the left comes from the Office of Broadband Development interactive map, reflecting data updated on Oct 31, 2023. Red dots represent locations unserved with wireline broadband; the Orange dots represent underserved locations. The map on the right comes from the FCC National Broadband map showing access to wired and licensed fixed wireless access, the darker the color, the greater percentage of broadband coverage.

Sibley County Broadband Profile 2023: Red rating: Ranking out 77 of 87

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Rank: 77
Code: Red
(See Blandin Foundation interactive map)

Sibley County: still stuck at 65 percent coverage

Sibley County ranks 77 (down 3 points) for broadband access out of 87 counties. They have 63.51 percent coverage to broadband of 100 Mbps down and 20 up. They have 2204 households without access to broadband at that speed. Estimates indicate that it will cost $20.4 million to get to ubiquitous broadband in the county.

County Residential Location Density number of residential locations ≥ 100 Mbps Download/20 Mbps Upload Speeds unserved households Cost to close gap
Sibley 10.1 6,040 63.51 2204 20497200

Sibley County has been working on better broadband for more than 10 years. They were a Blandin Broadband Community. But their connectivity has been stagnant since 2018. There hasn’t been a demonstration of recent engagement with broadband, which is why their code has gone from yellow to red.

  2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017
100/20 (2026 goal) 63.51 65.63 65.29 62.86 62.87 62.84 51.01
25/3 (2022 goal) 66.82 69.76 70.05 74.29 73.59 63.47 71.27

Grants

  • 2017 – Winthrop Telephone Company, Inc. – Cornish Township FTTP Project – GRANT $365,895
  • 2015 – MVTV Wireless Middle Mile – Grant award: $808,080
  • 2014 – R-S Fiber Cooperative, FTTH Project – Award: $1 million.
  • MN State Grant awarded in 2021: 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

Find more articles on broadband in Sibley County (https://blandinonbroadband.org/?s=sibley&submit=Search)

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)

The maps below on the left comes from the Office of Broadband Development interactive map, reflecting data updated on Oct 31, 2023. Red dots represent locations unserved with wireline broadband; the Orange dots represent underserved locations. The map on the right comes from the FCC National Broadband map showing access to wired and licensed fixed wireless access, the darker the color, the greater percentage of broadband coverage.

Sherburne County Broadband Profile 2023: Green rating: Ranking out 33 of 87

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Rank: 33
Code: Green
(See Blandin Foundation interactive map)

Sherburne County: Great improvement

Sherburne County ranks 33 for broadband access out of 87 counties. They have 87.19 percent coverage to broadband of 100 Mbps down and 20 up. They have 7156 households without access to broadband at that speed. Estimates indicate that it will cost $66.5 million to get to ubiquitous broadband in the county.

County Residential Location Density number of residential locations ≥ 100 Mbps Download/20 Mbps Upload Speeds unserved households Cost to close gap
Sherburne 69.6 31,373 87.19 7156 66550800

Sherburne County has worked with the Blandin Foundation. They seemed to renew an interest in broadband post-pandemic. They went from almost 90 percent coverage to 82 percent last year. There is a slight dip likely reflects a more granular look at access and they have almost gained what they lost this year.

In December 2022, Tekstar Communications received more than $1 million to reach 27 unserved and 15 underserved households, farms and businesses near Elk River by Elk Lake Road, by the new fire station and on the west side of Twin Lakes by Nowthen AND to reach 182 unserved and 30 underserved households, farms and businesses in Haven and Clear Lake Townships in rural Sherburne County. In 2023, Arvig received  $182,576 to build to 240 unserved households near the Travelers Country Club on the Mississippi River, southeast of Clearwater. Midco has an application in to the latest (still open) round of Border to Border funding; results should be available in early 2024.

I was going to bump Sherburne’s ranking from green to yellow in part because they have not beaten the 90 percent coverage benchmark and then I saw that they met in November to make a plan for broadband. Communities that are talking about broadband and meeting with potential providers, such as Sherburne, will be in good shape when federal (BEAD) funding becomes available.

2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017
100/20 (2026 goal) 87.19 82.82 90.69 73.66 72.36 67.11 28.02
25/3 (2022 goal) 90.08 86.14 95.78 82.9 91.63 89.23 75.4

Grants

  • 2023: Arvig (Tekstar) – Sherburne County Area Fiber Extension – GRANT $182,576
  • 2022: Tekstar Communications, Inc. dba Arvig, $1,075,943.50 (Learn more)
  • 2017 – Palmer Wireless – Sherburne County Road 3 – GRANT $110,661
  • 2016 – PALMER WIRELESS BIG LAKE INDUSTRIAL PARK – GRANT: $ 90,988
  • 2016 – PALMER WIRELESS DEL TONE ROAD AND ST. CLOUD AIRPORT – GRANT: $ 179,400
  • 2014 – Palmer Wireless, Becker Industrial Park – Award: $151,934.

Checklist:

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)

The maps below on the left comes from the Office of Broadband Development interactive map, reflecting data updated on Oct 31, 2023. Red dots represent locations unserved with wireline broadband; the Orange dots represent underserved locations. The map on the right comes from the FCC National Broadband map showing access to wired and licensed fixed wireless access, the darker the color, the greater percentage of broadband coverage.

Scott County Broadband Profile 2023: Green rating: Ranking out 21 of 87

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Rank: 21
Code:  Green
(See Blandin Foundation interactive map)

Scott County: recent grant should help edge them closer

Scott County ranks 21 for broadband access out of 87 counties. They have 93.67 percent coverage to broadband of 100 Mbps down and 20 up. They have 2892 households without access to broadband at that speed. Estimates indicate that it will cost $26.8 million to get to ubiquitous broadband in the county.

County Residential Location Density number of residential locations ≥ 100 Mbps Download/20 Mbps Upload Speeds unserved households Cost to close gap
Scott 124.0 45,681 93.67 2892 26895600

As part of the 7-county metro area, Scott County is a fairly metro county, so they have the advantage of proximity to the Twin Cities and some higher population density areas. They have had slow, incremental improvement since we have been tracking progress.

In December Nuvera received $2.4 million in Border to Border funding to serve 439 unserved and 133 underserved locations in the rural areas of Scott County. Comcast has an application in to the latest (still open) round of Border to Border funding; results should be available in early 2024. In October 2023, the County put out a request for proposals from interested broadband partners. That move will put them in a good position for funding partners when federal (BEAD) funding becomes available. They retain their green ranking.

Broadband Access:

2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017
100/20 (2026 goal) 93.67 92.04 91.02 89.43 89.15 88.61 88.38
25/3 (2022 goal) 94.9 94.11 93.26 97.13 96.43 94.5 96.1

Grants:

  • 2022: Nuvera Communications, Inc., $2,436,427.00
  • 2017 – Jaguar Communications – Sand Creek Township Area Broadband Project – GRANT $192,405
  • 2019: BEVCOMM (Eckles Telephone Company) – Le Sueur County Project – GRANT $1,857,376
  • MN State Grant awarded in 2021: Nuvera Communications, Inc. – Webster Rural FTTP – GRANT $431,260 This last mile project will serve 103 unserved and 178 underserved locations in Wheatland and Webster townships in Rice County, Euraka and Greenvale townships in Dakota County, and New Market and Cedar Lake townships in Scott County.

Find more articles on broadband in Scott County (http://tinyurl.com/gt4afcy)

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)

The maps below on the left comes from the Office of Broadband Development interactive map, reflecting data updated on Oct 31, 2023. Red dots represent locations unserved with wireline broadband; the Orange dots represent underserved locations. The map on the right comes from the FCC National Broadband map showing access to wired and licensed fixed wireless access, the darker the color, the greater percentage of broadband coverage.

St Louis County Broadband Profile 2023: Yellow rating: Ranking out 68 of 87

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Rank: 68
Code: Yellow
(See Blandin Foundation interactive map)

St Louis County: Gearing up for a big push?

St Louis County ranks 68 (down 11 points) for broadband access out of 87 counties. They have 73.14 percent coverage to broadband of 100 Mbps down and 20 up. They have 23734 households without access to broadband at that speed. Estimates indicate that it will cost $227 million to get to ubiquitous broadband in the county.

County Residential Location Density number of residential locations ≥ 100 Mbps Download/20 Mbps Upload Speeds unserved households Cost to close gap
St. Louis 13.1 88,360 73.14 23734 22726200

They have hovered from 75-79 percent coverage to broadband of 100 Mbps down and 20 up. There was a slight dip in access last year but may simply reflect a more granular look at access.

In December 2022, several Border to Border grants were awarded that would/will benefit St, Louis County

  • Mediacom received $7.4 million to serve 863 unserved households, 796 underserved households, 7 underserved businesses, 10 unserved businesses, 1 unserved community anchor and 1 underserved community anchor in the unincorporated community of Esko, primarily in the Saint Louis County
  • Mediacom received $821,758 to serve 306 unserved households, 62 underserved households, 3 unserved community anchors, and 4 unserved businesses in the Biwabik Township of the St. Louis County
  • Mediacom received $4.4 million to serve 863 unserved households, 796 underserved households, 7 underserved businesses, 10 unserved businesses, 1 unserved community anchor and 1 underserved community anchor in the unincorporated community of Esko, primarily in the Saint Louis County area
  • Mediacom received $2.1 million to serve 444 unserved households, 7 unserved businesses, 1 unserved community anchor, 116 underserved households and 5 underserved businesses in the city of Hibbing of the Saint Louis County
  • Paul Bunyan received $3 million to implement the Northern Minnesota GigaZone Fiber Project to bring high-speed broadband to at least 1,035 homes, businesses, farms, and community anchor institutions in rural portions of Aitkin, Itasca, and St. Louis counties.

In 2023, Paul Bunyan Rural Telephone received $5,569,281 to implement the St. Louis County GigaZone Fiber Expansion Project to bring high-speed, last-mile fiber-to-the-premises to at least 646 homes, businesses, farms, and community anchor institutions in two non-contiguous areas in rural St. Louis County.  Several providers (SCI, CTC, Mediacom and Treehouse) have applications in to the latest (still open) round of Border to Border funding; results should be available in early 2024.

St Louis County has been stuck but the volume of successful and hopeful grants in the area heps them hold their yellow ranking.

2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017
100/20 (2026 goal) 73.14 74.89 79.49 79.22 78.2 41.2 38.78
25/3 (2022 goal) 78.35 79.7 85.5 86.72 86.23 83.47 82.72

Grants:

  • 2023: Paul Bunyan Rural Telephone Coop – Paul Bunyan Communications Rural GigaZone Fiber – GRANT $5,569,281
  • 2022: Mediacom Minnesota LLC, $7,363,624.53
  • 2022: Mediacom Minnesota LLC – Esko – GRANT $4,400,732
  • 2022: Mediacom Minnesota LLC – Project 19 – Hibbing – GRANT $2,141,135
  • 2022: Paul Bunyan Communications – Northern Minnesota GigaZone Fiber – GRANT $3,052,120
  • 2022: Savage Communications Inc., $562,098.00
  • 2022: Consolidated Telephone Company, $4,857,030.00 (serving St Louis and Cass)
  • 2022: Mediacom Minnesota LLC – Esquagama Lake – GRANT $821,758
  • 2017 – CenturyLink – Fredenberg Township FTTH Project – GRANT $1,809,312
    2017 – Paul Bunyan Communications – North Central Fiber – GRANT $802,620
  • 2017 – MEDIACOM FAYAL TOWNSHIP – GRANT: $263,345
  • 2014 – Mediacom, Pintar Road – Award: $137,848. Total project cost: $275,697.
  • 2014 – Northeast Service Cooperative – Frontier Communications Corp., Border to Border Phase I – Award: $1.96 million.
  • 2019: Paul Bunyan Communications – North Central Minnesota Fiber Project– GRANT $2,562,916
  • MN State Grants awarded in 2021: Charter Communications (Spectrum) – Getchell Road – GRANT $11,400 This middle and last mile project will provide broadband service to eight unserved households in northern Duluth in St. Louis County.
  • Mediacom Minnesota LLC – Field of Dreams Hermantown Project – GRANT $624,751 This last mile project will serve approximately 267 underserved households, six underserved businesses, and one underserved community anchor institution in Hermantown in St. Louis County.
  • Paul Bunyan Communications – City of Cook GigaZone Fiber – GRANT $311,254 This last mile project will improve high-speed broadband for 57 unserved and 254 underserved locations in the community of Cook in St. Louis County.

Checklist:

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)

The maps below on the left comes from the Office of Broadband Development interactive map, reflecting data updated on Oct 31, 2023. Red dots represent locations unserved with wireline broadband; the Orange dots represent underserved locations. The map on the right comes from the FCC National Broadband map showing access to wired and licensed fixed wireless access, the darker the color, the greater percentage of broadband coverage.

Roseau County Broadband Profile 2023: Green rating: Ranking out 17 of 87

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

Roseau County: Incremental but consistent improvements

Roseau County ranks 17 for broadband access out of 87 counties. They have 96.5 percent coverage to broadband of 100 Mbps down and 20 up. They have 229 households without access to broadband at that speed. Estimates indicate that it will cost $2.1 million to get to ubiquitous broadband in the county.

County Residential Location Density number of residential locations ≥ 100 Mbps Download/20 Mbps Upload Speeds unserved households Cost to close gap
Roseau 3.9 6,548 96.5 229 2129700

Roseau County saw an amazing leap in broadband in 2018 – from 0 to 67 percent. They have seen incremental growth since then, including in the last year. Their continued incremental improvement has pushed them from yellow to green ranking.

Broadband Access:

  2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017
100/20 (2026 goal) 96.5 90.71 85.23 79.41 72.59 67.3 0
25/3 (2022 goal) 96.56 90.92 87.44 81.92 75.88 67.3 62.16

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)

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)

The maps below on the left comes from the Office of Broadband Development interactive map, reflecting data updated on Oct 31, 2023. Red dots represent locations unserved with wireline broadband; the Orange dots represent underserved locations. The map on the right comes from the FCC National Broadband map showing access to wired and licensed fixed wireless access, the darker the color, the greater percentage of broadband coverage.

Rock County Broadband Profile 2023: Green rating: Ranking out 1 of 87

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Rank: 1
Code: Green
(See Blandin Foundation interactive map)

Rock County: Perfect

Rock County ranks 1 for broadband access out of 87 counties. They have 100 percent coverage to broadband of 100 Mbps down and 20 up. They have 0 households without access to broadband at that speed.

County Residential Location Density number of residential locations ≥ 100 Mbps Download/20 Mbps Upload Speeds unserved households Cost to close gap
Rock 6.9 3,314 100 0 0

After hovering at more than 99 percent coverage for years, Rock County can now celebrate ubiquitous coverage. They share top ranking with Lincoln and Red Lake Counties.

Broadband Access:

  2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017
100/20 (2026 goal) 100 99.9 99.93 99.93 99.93 99.93 66.32
25/3 (2022 goal) 100 99.9 99.93 99.93 99.93 99.93 68.17

Grants:

  • 2015 – MVTV Wireless Middle Mile – Grant award: $808,080
  • 2014 – Rock County Broadband Alliance (RCBA), FTTP Project – Award: $5 million.

Find more articles on broadband in Rock County (http://tinyurl.com/jjeesst)

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)

The maps below on the left comes from the Office of Broadband Development interactive map, reflecting data updated on Oct 31, 2023. Red dots represent locations unserved with wireline broadband; the Orange dots represent underserved locations. The map on the right comes from the FCC National Broadband map showing access to wired and licensed fixed wireless access, the darker the color, the greater percentage of broadband coverage.

Rice County Broadband Profile 2023: Red rating: Ranking out 45 of 87

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Rank: 45
Code: Red
(See Blandin Foundation interactive map)

Rice County: Dropped from yellow to red ranking 

Rice County ranks 45 (down 13 points) for broadband access out of 87 counties. They have 84.16 percent coverage to broadband of 100 Mbps down and 20 up. They have 3316 households without access to broadband at that speed. Estimates indicate that it will cost $30.8 million to get to ubiquitous broadband in the county.

County Residential Location Density number of residential locations ≥ 100 Mbps Download/20 Mbps Upload Speeds unserved households Cost to close gap
Rice 40.6 20,932 84.16 3316 30838800

Rice County had a great leap of broadband in 2019; they have been stagnant since. Northfield Wifi has submitted an application for the latest (open) round of Border to Border funding. They will learn the results in early 2024.

Because they have been stagnant for so long, Rice County has dropped from yellow to red ranking

  2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017
100/20 (2026 goal) 84.16 85.23 85.58 82.95 82.43 32.63 48.85
25/3 (2022 goal) 88.89 90.12 94.18 93.75 92.46 93.2 97.93

Grants:

  • MN State Grants awarded in 2021: Nuvera Communications, Inc. – Webster Rural FTTP – GRANT $431,260 This last mile project will serve 103 unserved and 178 underserved locations in Wheatland and Webster townships in Rice County, Euraka and Greenvale townships in Dakota County, and New Market and Cedar Lake townships in Scott County.
  • BEVCOMM (Cannon Valley Telecom, Inc.) – Rural Morristown Fiber Expansion Project – GRANT $210,692 This last mile project will serve approximately 14 unserved and 94 underserved locations in portions of Rice, Waseca, and Steele counties.

Find more articles on broadband in Rice County (http://tinyurl.com/jg6q8gs)

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)

The maps below on the left comes from the Office of Broadband Development interactive map, reflecting data updated on Oct 31, 2023. Red dots represent locations unserved with wireline broadband; the Orange dots represent underserved locations. The map on the right comes from the FCC National Broadband map showing access to wired and licensed fixed wireless access, the darker the color, the greater percentage of broadband coverage.

Renville County Broadband Profile 2022: Red rating: Ranking out 70 of 87

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

Renville County: Feels like being stuck

Renville County ranks 70 (down 3) for broadband access out of 87 counties. They have 72.23 percent coverage to broadband of 100 Mbps down and 20 up. They have 1818 households without access to broadband at that speed. Estimates indicate that it will cost $16 million to get to ubiquitous broadband in the county.

 

County Reseidential Location Denisty number of residential locations ≥ 100 Mbps Download/20 Mbps Upload Speeds unserved households Cost to close gap
Renville 6.6 6,546 72.23 1818 16907400

Renville County has been working on better broadband for more than 10 years, but they have stayed stagnant at 70 percent coverage to broadband of 100 Mbps down and 20 up since 2021.

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 (70.18 percent coverage) and wireline with fixed wireless (96.42 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. That could make a big difference to who is eligible for BEAD funding.

In 2023, Renville set up a broadband survey for community members. Actions like that will help them prepare for federal (BEAD) funding once it is available. Unfortunately until they can engage provider activity, they retail their red ranking.

Broadband Access:

2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017
100/20 (2026 goal) 72.23 70.79 70.86 63.23 59.06 51.78 50.43
25/3 (2022 goal) 73.98 73.41 74.48 67.74 61.9 55.06 59.27

 

Grants:

  • 2016 – RENVILLE COUNTY HBC & RS FIBER – GRANT: $807,966
  • 2015 – MVTV Wireless Middle Mile – Grant award: $808,080
  • 2014 – R-S Fiber Cooperative, FTTH Project – Award: $1 million.
  • 2019: Nuvera Communications, Inc. – Hutchinson W Project – GRANT $346,282
  • 2019: Midco (Midcontinent Communications) – Renville Project – GRANT $230,835
  • MN State Grant awarded in 2021: Minnesota Valley Telephone Company (MVTC) – Rural Franklin Fiber Project – GRANT $226,800 This middle and last mile project will serve approximately 45 unserved locations in the City of Franklin and the townships of Sherman, Eden, Camp and Birch Cooley in Redwood, Renville and Brown counties.

 

Find more articles on broadband in Renville County (http://tinyurl.com/hfazdvf)

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)

The maps below on the left comes from the Office of Broadband Development interactive map, reflecting data updated on Oct 31, 2023. Red dots represent locations unserved with wireline broadband; the Orange dots represent underserved locations. The map on the right comes from the FCC National Broadband map showing access to wired and licensed fixed wireless access, the darker the color, the greater percentage of broadband coverage.

Red Lake County Broadband Profile 2023: Green rating: Ranking out 1 of 87

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Rank: 1
Code: Green
(See Blandin Foundation interactive map)

Red Lake County: Two years of ubiquitous broadband

Red Lake County ranks 1 for broadband access out of 87 counties. They have 100 percent coverage to broadband of 100 Mbps down and 20 up. They have 0 households without access to broadband at that speed. Estimates indicate that it will cost 0 to get to ubiquitous broadband in the county.

County Residential Location Density number of residential locations ≥ 100 Mbps Download/20 Mbps Upload Speeds unserved households Cost to close gap
Ramsey 815.5 138,699 99.98 28 260400
Red Lake 3.5 1,533 100 0 0

Red Lake County can bask in the glory of their second year with ubiquitous broadband. They share top ranking with Lincoln and Rock Counties.

  2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017
100/20 (2026 goal) 100 100 93.85 83.18 83.17 83.17 48.01
25/3 (2022 goal) 100 100 99.99 99.86 99.99 99.99 99.99

Past grant:

  • None

Find more articles on broadband in Red Lake County (http://tinyurl.com/gt8g24c)

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)

The maps below on the left comes from the Office of Broadband Development interactive map, reflecting data updated on Oct 31, 2023. Red dots represent locations unserved with wireline broadband; the Orange dots represent underserved locations. The map on the right comes from the FCC National Broadband map showing access to wired and licensed fixed wireless access, the darker the color, the greater percentage of broadband coverage.

Ramsey County Broadband Profile 2023: Green rating: Ranking out4 of 87

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Rank: 4
Code: Green
(See Blandin Foundation interactive map)

Ramsey County: nearly at 2026 goal already

Ramsey County ranks 4 (up one point) for broadband access out of 87 counties. They have had more than 99 percent coverage to broadband of 100 Mbps down and 20 up. They have 28 households without access to broadband at that speed. Estimates indicate that it will cost $260400 to get to ubiquitous broadband in the county.

County Residential Location Density number of residential locations ≥ 100 Mbps Download/20 Mbps Upload Speeds unserved households Cost to close gap
Ramsey 815.5 138,699 99.98 28 260400

Ramsey County is a metro-based county where the market makes it feasible for broadband providers to serve broadband profitably. Even with coverage, they still get providers, such as WOW, building in the area.

Ramset County has also been working on Digital Inclusion. They held a digital inclusion summit in late 2022 and created a Connectivity Blueprint in 2023 to smooth a path to digital equity.

The have a green ranking.

  2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017
100/20 (2026 goal) 99.98 99.63 99.84 99.84 99.84 99.82 99.39
25/3 (2022 goal) 99.98 99.88 99.86 99.86 99.86 99.84 99.75

Past grants:

None

Find more articles on https://bit.ly/2kgeboX

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)

The maps below on the left comes from the Office of Broadband Development interactive map, reflecting data updated on Oct 31, 2023. Red dots represent locations unserved with wireline broadband; the Orange dots represent underserved locations. The map on the right comes from the FCC National Broadband map showing access to wired and licensed fixed wireless access, the darker the color, the greater percentage of broadband coverage.

Pope County Broadband Profile 2023: Green rating: Ranking out 43 of 87

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Rank: 43
Code:  Green
(See Blandin Foundation interactive map)

Pope County: latest grant project will make a difference

Pope County ranks 43 (up 3 points) for broadband access out of 87 counties. They have 84.65 percent coverage to broadband of 100 Mbps down and 20 up. They have 911 households without access to broadband at that speed. Estimates indicate that it will cost $8.4million to get to ubiquitous broadband in the county.

County Residential Location Density number of residential locations ≥ 100 Mbps Download/20 Mbps Upload Speeds unserved households Cost to close gap
Pope 8.3 5,936 84.65 911 8472300

Pope County had incremental improvement to broadband until now but saw a little bump in the last year. In December 2022, Hanson Communications received $4.3 million in Border to Border money to serve 504 underserved locations and 553 unserved locations in the greater Southeast Pope County area, Minnesota.

They continue on the march with a yellow ranking.

  2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017
100/20 (2026 goal) 84.65 79.15 74.48 73 68.92 23.67 24.33
25/3 (2022 goal) 90.82 87.81 82.95 80.81 76.99 61.27 62.73

Grant:

  • 2022: Hanson Communications, Inc., $4,248,796.00
  • 2017 – Hanson Communications – Minnewaska Area FTTP – GRANT $4,996,791

Checklist:

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)

The maps below on the left comes from the Office of Broadband Development interactive map, reflecting data updated on Oct 31, 2023. Red dots represent locations unserved with wireline broadband; the Orange dots represent underserved locations. The map on the right comes from the FCC National Broadband map showing access to wired and licensed fixed wireless access, the darker the color, the greater percentage of broadband coverage.

Polk County Broadband Profile 2023: Green rating: Ranking out 14 of 87

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Rank: 14
Code: Green
(See Blandin Foundation interactive map)

Polk County: Still closing in on top 10

Polk County ranks 14 (up two points) for broadband access out of 87 counties. They have 97.79 percent coverage to broadband of 100 Mbps down and 20 up. They have 278 households without access to broadband at that speed. Estimates indicate that it will cost $2.5 million to get to ubiquitous broadband in the county.

County Residential Location Density number of residential locations ≥ 100 Mbps Download/20 Mbps Upload Speeds unserved households Cost to close gap
Polk 6.3 12,563 97.79 278 2585400

They have had incremental improvement since we have been tracking, landing 95.24 percent coverage to broadband of 100 Mbps down and 20 up in 2021 to 60.36 percent coverage in 2022.

In December 2022, Garden Valley Technologies received a Border to Border grant to serve 47 unserved households, 2 unserved businesses, 52 unserved farms and 4 unserved community/anchor institutions for a total of 105 locations within three areas located in northwest Minnesota and include portions of the Higdem, Esther, Brislet, Angus, Helgeland and Brandt Townships in Polk County and portions of Oak Park, McCrea and Comstock townships in Marshall county. In 2023, they received $1.5 million to serve 96 unserved and underserved households, businesses, farms and community anchor institutions.

Garden Valley Telephone Company has applied for funds in the latest (and open) round of Border to Border grants. They will learn the results in early 2024.

Their coverage and continued efforts keep Polk County in green ranking.

  2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017
100/20 (2026 goal) 97.79 95.24 91.72 91.76 88.35 85.39 80.89
25/3 (2022 goal) 97.83 95.25 93.02 93.09 93.11 93 90.78

Grants

  • 2023: Garden Valley Technologies – 2023 Rural Warren SW – GRANT $1,488,322
  • 2022: Garden Valley Technologies – Rural Warren East & Rural Oslo – GRANT $1,462,569
  • 2016 – HALSTAD TELEPHONE COMPANY KERTSONVILLE AREA – GRANT: $296,665
  • 2015 – Halstad Telephone Company – Gentilly Township – Grant award: $424,460
  • 2014 – Halstad Telephone Co., Halstad Tract MN 11902500 FTTH Amount $1.65 million
  • 2019: Halstad Telephone Company – Rural East Grand Forks Expansion Project – GRANT $440,000
  • MN State Grants 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.
  • Halstad Telephone Company – North Fisher Expansion – GRANT $619,000 This last mile project will upgrade approximately 57 unserved and seven underserved locations in portions of Huntsville, Nesbit and Fanny townships in Polk County.
  • Wikstrom Telephone Co. Inc. – Wiktel NW MN Broadband 2020 – GRANT $490,997 The last mile project will serve 153 unserved locations in sparsely populated areas in Kittson, Marshall and Polk counties.

Find more articles on broadband in Polk County (http://tinyurl.com/zk8apgm)

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)

The maps below on the left comes from the Office of Broadband Development interactive map, reflecting data updated on Oct 31, 2023. Red dots represent locations unserved with wireline broadband; the Orange dots represent underserved locations. The map on the right comes from the FCC National Broadband map showing access to wired and licensed fixed wireless access, the darker the color, the greater percentage of broadband coverage.

Pipestone County Broadband Profile 2023: Yellow rating: Ranking out 35 of 87

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Rank: 35
Code:  Yellow
(See Blandin Foundation interactive map)

Pipestone County: stagnant at 80 percent

Pipestone County ranks 35 (up 7 points) for broadband access out of 87 counties. They have 86.35 percent coverage to broadband of 100 Mbps down and 20 up. They have 490 households without access to broadband at that speed. Estimates indicate that it will cost $4.5 million to get to ubiquitous broadband in the county.

County Residential Location Density number of residential locations ≥ 100 Mbps Download/20 Mbps Upload Speeds unserved households Cost to close gap
Pipestone 7.7 3,591 86.35 490 4557000

Pipestone has hovered at 80 percent coverage to broadband of 100 Mbps down and 20 up since 2018. They have seen a small increase this year. Pipestone County is working with Hometown Fiber on better broadband plan.

Woodstock Telephone has applied for Border to Border funding in the latest (and open) round and should hear in early 2024 if they were successful. The Pipestone County Commission has supported the application with a match of $268,822.

They are also 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 (78.99 percent coverage) and wireline with fixed wireless (98.5 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. That could make a big difference to who is eligible for BEAD funding.

Pipestone seems to be building momentum, at a good time with federal (BEAD) funding coming in. But they retain their yellow ranking.

  2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017
100/20 (2026 goal) 86.35 80.7 80.11 79.73 79.73 79.73 44.54
25/3 (2022 goal) 88.81 82.44 82.54 82.97 81.1 79.73 79.36

Past grants:

  • 2017 – Woodstock Telephone Company – Pipestone County Wireless – GRANT $363,851
  • 2015 – MVTV Wireless Middle Mile – Grant award: $808,080

Find more articles on broadband in Pipestone County (http://tinyurl.com/zhjm4pe)

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)

The maps below on the left comes from the Office of Broadband Development interactive map, reflecting data updated on Oct 31, 2023. Red dots represent locations unserved with wireline broadband; the Orange dots represent underserved locations. The map on the right comes from the FCC National Broadband map showing access to wired and licensed fixed wireless access, the darker the color, the greater percentage of broadband coverage.