Category Archives: County Profiles 2023

Houston County Broadband Profile 2023: Yellow Rating: Ranking out 36 of 87

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Rank: 36
Code:  Yellow
(See Blandin Foundation interactive map)

Houston County: incremental change

Houston County ranks 36 (up 2) for broadband access out of 87 counties. They have 85.89 percent coverage to broadband of 100 Mbps down and 20 up. They have 1130 households without access to broadband at that speed. Estimates indicate that it will cost $10.5 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
Houston 14.1 8,009 85.89 1130 10509000

Houston County has seen incremental improvement since we started tracking it. Last year, they were part of a larger ReConnect project.

With slow progress, Houston County receives a yellow ranking.

  2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017
100/20 (2026 goal) 85.89 82.98 75.26 69.66 67.81 66.63 65.08
25/3 (2022 goal) 88.11 92.87 92.86 77.1 72.94 71.29 72.23

Grants:

  • 2022: The investment, provided through the U.S Department of Agriculture (USDA)’s ReConnect program, will help connect over 6,000 people, 150 businesses, and 680 farms across Freeborn, Morrison, Stearns, Houston, and Todd counties.
  • 2019: AcenTek – Rural Houston Exchange FTTH – GRANT $2,895,318

Find more articles on broadband in Houston County. (http://tinyurl.com/zst4kf5)

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.

Hennepin County Broadband Profile 2023: Green Rating: Ranking out 9 of 87

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Rank: 9
Code: Green
(See Blandin Foundation interactive map)

Hennepin County: population density helps attract broadband

Hennepin County ranks 9 (up one) for broadband access out of 87 counties. They have 99.11 percent coverage to broadband of 100 Mbps down and 20 up si. They have 2983 households without access to broadband at that speed. Estimates indicate that it will cost $27.7 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
Hennepin 552.7 335,210 99.11 2983 27741900

They have had more than 98 percent coverage to broadband of 100 Mbps down and 20 up since we started tracking. In December 2022, Comcast Cable got a Border to Border grant for almost $2 million. In 2023, Midco received $1.5 in funding to serve 423 households, businesses, farms and community anchor institutions in rural Independence and Greenfield.

Hennepin County is in the top 10 ranking and nearly at 100 percent coverage and therefore they have earned an easy green ranking.

  2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017
100/20 (2026 goal) 99.11 98.69 98.98 98.97 98.94 98.97 98.57
25/3 (2022 goal) 99.19 99.14 99.21 99.4 99.39 99.18 99.16

Grants:

  • 2022: Comcast Cable Communications LLC, $1,941,841.00
  • 2017 – Mediacom Minnesota LLC – Medina 2018 Broadband Build – GRANT $62,219
  • 2021: Mediacom Minnesota LLC – Minnestrista Project – GRANT $189,752 This last mile project will serve 80 unserved households in Minnestrista in Hennepin County.

Checklist:

Find more articles on broadband in Hennepin County. (http://tinyurl.com/z9n7ea6)

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.

Grant County Broadband Profile 2023: Yellow Rating: Ranking out 59 of 87

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Rank: 59
Code:  Yellow
(See Blandin Foundation interactive map)

Grant County: code changes from red to yellow with steady progress

Grant County ranks 59 (down 9 places) for broadband access out of 87 counties. They have 77.81 percent coverage to broadband of 100 Mbps down and 20 up. They have 692 households without access to broadband at that speed. Estimates indicate that it will cost $6.4 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
Grant 5.3 3,032 77.18 692 6435600

They had seen steady progress since 2018 leading to 77.71 percent coverage to broadband of 100 Mbps down and 20 up but they now seem stuck there. Although Runestone Telephone received a Border to Border grant in December 2022 to serve 406 unserved locations  in Grant, Stevens, and Traverse Counties.

They maintain their yellow ranking because of their limited progress in the last three years.

  2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017
100/20 (2026 goal) 77.18 77.71 71.99 60.3 43.02 39.93 39.93
25/3 (2022 goal) 92.15 96 95.44 88.22 87.85 87.85 75.73

Grants:

  • Runestone Telephone Association, $2,493,637.00 (to serve Grant, Stevens and Traverse counties)

Find more articles on broadband in Grant County. (http://tinyurl.com/z9n7ea6)

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.

Goodhue County Broadband Profile 2023: Red Rating: Ranking out 51 of 87

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Rank: 51
Code: Red
(See Blandin Foundation interactive map)

Goodhue County: still holding onto haves and have-nots

Goodhue County ranks 51 (down 4 spots) for broadband access out of 87 counties. They have 80.51 percent coverage to broadband of 100 Mbps down and 20 up. They have 3546 households without access to broadband at that speed. Estimates indicate that it will cost $33 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
Goodhue 23.3 18,192 80.51 3546 32977800

Goodhue County has seen incremental progress over the last few years including 2023. Rural Goodhue County been lagging behind Red Wing, a hotspot of gigabit access for too long, which is how they find themselves in code red.

In July, Goodhue County Commissioners decided to invest $112,138 ARPA funds in broadband for Southeast MN Wifi LLC in Welch Township. However, they declined a larger project in March.

Goodhue could benefit from a Border to Border grant; both Hiawatha Broadband or Nuvera Communications have applied for funding in the current round, where grants are still in process.

  2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017
100/20 (2026 goal) 80.51 78.56 76.09 75.15 71.84 55.99 60.33
25/3 (2022 goal) 82.14 81.78 81.66 83.9 79.44 77.1 87.46

Grants:

  • 2022: $4 million grant Red Wing Ignite received to encourage broadband-based entrepreneurship and innovation
  • 2017 – Midco (Midcontinent Communications) – Wanamingo – GRANT $768,600
  • 2017 – New Ulm Telecom, Inc. – White Rock Rural East FTTP – GRANT $411,704
  • 2016 – NEW ULM TELECOM, INC. GOODHUE-BELLECHESTER – GRANT: $ 332,328
  • 2015 – New Ulm Telecom Goodhue Fiber Project – Grant award: $115,934
  • BEVCOMM (Pine Island Telephone Company) – NE Pine Island Fiber Project Phase I – GRANT $222,222
  • Nuvera Communications, Inc. – Goodhue Welch FTTP – GRANT $340,790 This last mile project south of Welch will serve 100 unserved and 15 underserved locations in Goodhue County.
  • Nuvera Communications, Inc. – Goodhue West FTTP – GRANT $532,232 – This last mile project will serve 148 unserved and two underserved locations in Goodhue, Zumbrota, Minneola, and Belle Creek townships in Goodhue County and Chester Township in Wabasha County.

Find more articles on broadband in Goodhue County. (http://tinyurl.com/z3jwte4)

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.

Freeborn County Broadband Profile 2023: Yellow Rating: Ranking out 28 of 87

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Rank: 28
Code: Yellow
(See Blandin Foundation interactive map)

Freeborn County: A matter of funding momentum

Freeborn County ranks 28 (up one place) for broadband access out of 87 counties. They have hov89.1 percent coverage to broadband of 100 Mbps down and 20 up. They have 1361 households without access to broadband at that speed. Estimates indicate that it will cost $12.6 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
Freeborn 17.3 12,485 89.1 1361 12657300

They had hovered around 85 percent coverage to broadband of 100 Mbps down and 20 up since 2019; they have seen a little bump up to 89 percent this year. They also have the unfortunate distinction from Recon Analytics to be named the unhappiest broadband county in the US.

They retain their yellow ranking with minimal increase in broadband, although they are bumping up against the 90 percent benchmark.

  2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017
100/20 (2026 goal) 89.1 86.36 85.89 84.51 83.88 34.18 94.59
25/3 (2022 goal) 89.96 86.98 88 87.94 87.92 84.31 99.44

Grants:

  • 2022: ReConnect program, will help connect over 6,000 people, 150 businesses, and 680 farms across Freeborn, Morrison, Stearns, Houston, and Todd counties.
  • 2017 – BEVCOMM (Cannon Valley Telephone) – Freeborn Southwest Rural Final – GRANT $122,460
  • 2016 – CANNON VALLEY TELECOM, INC. (DBA BEVCOMM) RURAL FREEBORN – GRANT:  $150,700
  • 2015 – BEVCOMM Cannon Valley Telecom – Rural Freeborn Fiber-to-the-Premises Project – Grant award: $149,625
  • Freeborn is also getting almost $2 million in FCC funding but that is over the next 10 years.
  • Winnebago Cooperative Telecom Association – SE Faribault/W Freeborn County FTTP – GRANT $953,842 This last-mile fiber optic project will bring service to 319 unserved locations, including 289 homes, 16 businesses, 11 farms, and three community anchor institutions in the townships of Clark, Foster, Kiester, Seely, Alden, Carlston, Manchester, Mansfield, and Pickerel Lake located in Southeastern Faribault and Western Freeborn counties.

Find more articles on broadband in Freeborn County. (http://tinyurl.com/hw7ptnz)

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.

Fillmore County Broadband Profile 2023: Yellow Rating: Ranking out 66 of 87

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Rank: 66
Code: Yellow
(See Blandin Foundation interactive map)

Fillmore County: ReConnect award and a story could put them back on track

Fillmore County ranks 66 (up 9 places) for broadband access out of 87 counties. Fillmore has 74.18 percent coverage to broadband of 100 Mbps down and 20 up. They have 2381 households without access to broadband at that speed. Estimates indicate that it will cost $22.1 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
Fillmore 10.7 9,221 74.18 2381 22143300

Fillmore had a nice increase of broadband in 2022 from 56 percent in 2021 to 65 percent coverage to broadband of 100 Mbps down and 20 up in 2022. They benefited in 2022 with expansion from Mediacom (in Wykoff) and Harmony (in Harmony). In December 2022, Harmony Telephone Company received a Border to Border grant of $1,129,740 to  serve 34 unserved households, 22 unserved businesses, and 56 unserved farms in the rural portions of Fillmore County. In 2023, Harmony Telephone Company received a grant of $2,991,038 to serve 311 households, businesses, and farms in Fillmore County and a grant of $1,044,436 to 68 households, businesses, and farms in the rural portions of Fillmore County.

Ace Telephone and Mediacom have submitted grant applications in the latest Border to Border grant round; awards should be made in early 2023.

Fillmore gets a yellow ranking because, while there are efforts being made, they are still at 74 percent coverage but having engaged providers should stand them in good stead for benefiting from BEAD funding.

  2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017
100/20 (2026 goal) 74.18 64.95 56.36 53.47 50.3 44.19 44.11
25/3 (2022 goal) 79.54 79.18 92.42 61.52 57.89 45.02 59

Grants:

  • 2023: Harmony Telephone Company – North Fountain Fiber-To-The-Premises GRANT – $2,991,038
  • 2023: Harmony Telephone Company – Rural Preston Fiber-To-The-Premises GRANT – $1,044,436
  • 2022: Harmony Telephone Company, $1,129,740.00
  • 2017 – Rushford Village/Rural Rushford Fiber Build – Grant $2,011,628
  • 2017 – Mediacom Minnesota LLC – Fountain 2018 Broadband Build – GRANT $202,125
  • 2016 – ACENTEK RURAL LANESBORO FIBER BUILD – GRANT: $1,777,936
  • (2020), Harmony Telephone received a USDA ReConnect award to better serve Fillmore County. They received a $2.7 million ReConnect Program loan and a $2.7 million ReConnect Program grant.
  • AcenTek – Rural Peterson Exchange FTTH – GRANT $1,492,096 This last mile project will serve 214 unserved households, 18 unserved businesses, 88 unserved farms, and two unserved community anchor institutions as well as 47 underserved households and five underserved businesses in areas of Fillmore and Winona counties. In a funding partnership with the State of Minnesota and Fillmore County EDA, AcenTek will improve these 374 locations’ broadband levels up to 1 Gbps download and 100 Mbps upload.
  • MiBroadband, LLC – Rural Preston FTTP – GRANT $1,173,330 The Rural Preston fiber-to-the-premises (FTTP) project will serve 231 unserved and 26 underserved locations in the rural portions of southern Fillmore County.

Find more articles on broadband in Fillmore County. (http://tinyurl.com/hxe6jal)

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.

Faribault County Broadband Profile 2023: Yellow Rating: Ranking out 72 of 87

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Rank: 72
Code: Yellow
(See Blandin Foundation interactive map)

Faribault County: Needs an accelerated pace

Faribault County ranks 72 for broadband access out of 87 counties. Faribault has 70.43 percent coverage to broadband of 100 Mbps down and 20 up. They have 1876 households without access to broadband at that speed. Estimates indicate that it will cost $17.4 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
Faribault 8.8 6,344 70.43 1876 17446800

Faribault got traction in 2022 with an increase from 44 to 73 percent coverage to broadband of 100 Mbps down and 20 up. Their ranking and percentage has slipped in the last year, likely to map correction or changes based on challenges. In December 2022, Blue Earth Valley Telephone received a Border to Border grant for $1.4 million to serve 371 underserved and 2 unserved homes, businesses, and farms in the rural areas of Bricelyn, Elmore and Guckeen within Faribault and Martin Counties.

Faribault retains their yellow ranking. Progress has been made but there isn’t a lot of evidence for progress moving forward.

  2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017
100/20 (2026 goal) 70.43 72.68 43.95 40.56 39.2 42.28 49.13
25/3 (2022 goal) 89.01 97.63 92.42 82.1% 71.0% 64.0% 43.5%

Grants:

  • 2022: Blue Earth Valley Telephone Co., dba Bevcomm and Cannon Valley Telecom, Inc.,dba Bevcomm, $1,444,030.00
  • 2017 – BEVCOMM (Easton Telephone Company) – Delavan SE Rural Project – GRANT $220,350
  • 2016 – BLUE EARTH VALLEY TELEPHONE CO. (DBA BEVCOMM) RURAL WINNEBAGO – GRANT:  $152,828
  • 2015 – BEVCOMM Blue Earth Valley Telephone – Rural Winnebago Fiber-to-the-Premises Project – Grant award: $142,690
  • BEVCOMM (Blue Earth Valley Telephone Company & Easton Telephone Company) – Rural Faribault County Project – GRANT: $579,781
  • BEVCOMM received CARES Act funding from the County for broadband expansion.
  • 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.
  • Winnebago Cooperative Telecom Association – SE Faribault/W Freeborn County FTTP – GRANT $953,842 This last-mile fiber optic project will bring service to 319 unserved locations, including 289 homes, 16 businesses, 11 farms, and three community anchor institutions in the townships of Clark, Foster, Kiester, Seely, Alden, Carlston, Manchester, Mansfield, and Pickerel Lake located in Southeastern Faribault and Western Freeborn counties.

Find more articles on broadband in Faribault County. (http://tinyurl.com/jzwv3gx)

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.

Douglas County Broadband Profile 2023: Yellow rating: Ranking out 57 of 87

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Rank:  57
Code: Yellow
(See Blandin Foundation interactive map)

Douglas County: Slow improvement but need more engagement to sprint

Douglas County ranks 57 (up one place) for broadband access out of 87 counties. Douglas has seen incremental gains up to 77.58 percent coverage to broadband of 100 Mbps down and 20 up. They have 4211 households without access to broadband at that speed. Estimates indicate that it will cost $39 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
Douglas 26.1 18,783 77.58 4211 39162300

Douglas County has historically done well with border to border grants because they have a few providers that are engaged. Last year Gardonville Coop got $1.2 million in Border to Border funding  to serve 300 unserved households around Alexandria. Also Tekstar received $12.6 million in REConnect funds to deploy a fiber-to-the-premises network to connect 3,113 people, 171 farms, 103 businesses and a school to high-speed internet in Douglas, Otter Tail, St. Louis, Stearns and Todd counties. In 2023, Gardonville received two more Border to Border grants: $665,950 to serve 122 households and $857,013 to serve 214 both near Alexandria.

The continue to make incremental progress but retain their yellow rank with one 77 percent coverage.

  2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017
100/20 (2026 goal) 77.58 74.59 72.89 70 68.82 25.56 7.68
25/3 (2022 goal) 94.06 91.22 90.94 83.63 88.25 82.96 75.1

Grants:

  • Gardonville Cooperative Telephone – Buckskin – GRANT $857,013
  • 2023 Gardonville Cooperative Telephone – Carlos – GRANT $665,950
  • 2022: Gardonville Cooperative Telephone Association, $1,212,337.50
  • 2022: ReConnect Tekstar Communications $12,602,274
  • 2017 – Gardonville Cooperative Telephone Association – Douglas County: Country Estates FTTH Project – GRANT $101,624
  • 2017 – Gardonville Cooperative Telephone Association – Douglas County: Pospisil Drive FTTH Project – GRANT $54,155
  • 2016 – GARDONVILLE COOPERATIVE TELEPHONE DOUGLAS COUNTY LAKE LOUISE – GRANT: $68,240
  • 2016 – RUNESTONE TELEPHONE HOLMES CITY 2 — GRANT: $700,674
  • 2015 – Runestone Telephone Association – Holmes City – Grant award: $189,990
  • 2019: Charter Communications – Lake Carlos Project – GRANT $74,540
  • 2019: Gardonville Cooperative Telephone Association – Krohnfeldt Drive FTTH Project – GRANT $42,921
  • 2019: Runestone Telecom Association – South Alexandria Project – GRANT $1,760,423
  • Arvig (Tekstar Communications, Inc.) – Lake Osakis, Sauk Lake & Smith Lake Project – GRANT $486,458 This middle and last mile project will upgrade approximately 230 unserved and 39 underserved locations in Todd and Douglas counties.
  • Charter Communications (Spectrum) – West Lake Carlos – GRANT $24,450
    This middle and last mile project will serve approximately 42 unserved households on the west side of Lake Carlos in Douglas County.
  • Gardonville Cooperative Telephone Association – Douglas County – County Road 34 FTTH Project – GRANT $1,551,370 This last mile project will serve 71 unserved and 544 underserved locations in Ida and Carlos townships in Douglas County.
  • Gardonville Cooperative Telephone Association – Douglas County – Hazel Hill Road FTTH Project – GRANT $692,929 This middle and last mile project will serve 212 unserved households, 79 unserved businesses and one unserved farm in Alexandria Township in Douglas County.
  • Gardonville Cooperative Telephone Association – Douglas County – Town Hall Road FTTH Project – GRANT $90,251 This last mile project will serve 46 unserved and 3 underserved locations in La Grand Township in Douglas County

Find more articles on broadband in Douglas County. (http://tinyurl.com/jqpohsc)

  2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017
100/20 (2026 goal) 77.58 74.59 72.89 70 68.82 25.56 7.68
25/3 (2022 goal) 94.06 91.22 90.94 83.63 88.25 82.96 75.1

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)

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.

Dodge County Broadband Profile 2023: Yellow Rating: Ranking out 30 of 87

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Rank:  30
Code: Yellow
(See Blandin Foundation interactive map)

Dodge County: steady progress

Dodge County ranks 30 (up 11 places) for access to broadband at 100 Mbps down and 20 up. They have 88.5 percent access. There are 905 unserved household and the cost to getting them connected is $8,416,500.

County Residential Location Density number of residential locations ≥ 100 Mbps Download/20 Mbps Upload Speeds unserved households Cost to close gap
Dodge 17.9 7,867 88.5 905 8416500

Dodge County has seen slow but steady increase in access since 2020. In 2023, KM Telecom got almost $2 million in a Border to Border grant to serve towns in Olmsted and Dodge Counties.

While the progress is undeniable, Dodge will retain its yellow ranking.

  2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017
100/20 (2026 goal) 88.5 84.2 80.62 77.37 77.08 74.59 94.9
25/3 (2022 goal) 89.87 88.48 84.86 84.02 82.78 76.4 99.37

Grants:

  • 2023: KM Telecom – Rural Byron & Salem Corners Fiber Build – GRANT $1,931,046
  • 2021: KMTelecom – Rock Dell Northwest Fiber Build – GRANT $385,173
  • 2021: KMTelecom – Rock Dell Southwest Fiber Build – GRANT $404,709
  • 2017 – KMTelecom – Rural Kasson Fiber Build – GRANT $606,108
  • 2016 – KMTELECOM RURAL MANTORVILLE – GRANT: $764,663

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.

Dakota County Broadband Profile 2023: Green Rating: Ranking out 15 of 87

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Rank: 15
Code:  Green
(See Blandin Foundation interactive map)

Dakota County: Has plan, will succeed

Dakota County ranks 15 (down one) for broadband access out of 87 counties. They have 97.17 percent coverage to broadband of 100 Mbps down and 20 up. They have 3639 households without access to broadband at that speed. Estimates indicate that it will cost $33.8 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
Dakota 220.9 129,631 97.17 3639 33842700

Dakota County has a broadband board and staff who focus on creating better broadband. The Institute for Local Self Reliance reported on Dakota County’s successful policies conducive to collaboration and reinvestment, with the result being a host of benefits which includes significant public savings for internal operations and better connections for community anchor institutions.

They have hovered around 97 percent coverage to broadband of 100 Mbps down and 20 up since 2019. There were two small grants awarded in December 2022 to help them reach their goal: Spectrum got $98,750 and JTN Communications got $113,076.

Dakota County residents were awarded 67 line extension funding requests, which means state funding will subsidize last mile broadband extension to their homes.

Dakota County retains their green ranking because they are close to goal and there are continued strides toward the goal – such as the recent announcement of free Wifi in the city parks.

  2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017
100/20 (2026 goal) 97.17 96.82 97.75 97.42 97.56 64.89 64.18
25/3 (2022 goal) 97.48 97.37 97.98 98.31 98.46 97.54 98.47

Grants funding:

  • 2022: JTN Communications, $113,076.00
  • 2022: Spectrum Mid-America, LLC managed by Charter Communications Inc., $98,750.00
  • 2020: Charter Communications – Rosemount North Project – GRANT $499,072
  • 2020: Dakota County approved $800,000 in CARES Act funding for broadband.
  • 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, Eureka and Greenvale townships in Dakota County, and New Market and Cedar Lake townships in Scott County.

Find more articles on broadband in Dakota County. (http://tinyurl.com/hxslue9)

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.

Crow Wing County Broadband Profile 2023: Green Rating: Ranking out 37 of 87

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Rank: 37
Code: Green
(See Blandin Foundation interactive map)

Crow Wing County: Need a push to get ubiquitous broadband

Crow Wing County ranks 37 (down 9) for broadband access out of 87 counties. They have 85.84 percent coverage to broadband of 100 Mbps down and 20 up. They have 5482 households without access to broadband at that speed. Estimates indicate that it will cost $51 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
Crow Wing 33.5 38,718 85.84 5482 50982600

Crow Wing County has been hovering at 87 percent access since 2019. This year their access and ranking have dipped. It’s likely due to map corrections or challenges but it does mean getting farther from their goal.

They did get some good news in the last year. In December 2022, Tri-Co Technologies got $343,552 to serve approximately 245 unserved households in Crow Wing County. In 2023, CTC began a $5.7 million project to expand its broadband fiber optic network to approximately 500 unserved or underserved locations. In June 2023, the Commissioners of Crow Wing County submitted a Request for Proposal from broadband providers interested in serving the area.

Crow Wing County residents were awarded 183 line extension funding requests, which means state funding will subsidize last mile broadband extension to their homes.

Crow Wing County is getting an optimistic green code; they have been stagnant but it seems as if actions are being made toward improvement.

  2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017
100/20 (2026 goal) 85.84 87.51 86.38 86.6 88.04 41.66 33.13
25/3 (2022 goal) 90.27 89.54 90.01 90.61 92.84 92.29 87.78

Grants:

  • 2022: Tri-Co Technologies, LLC dba Crosslake Communications, $343,552.00
  • 2016 – TDS TELECOM CASS & CROW WING COUNTIES — GRANT: $3,000,000
    2015 – Consolidated Telecommunications Company – Fort Ripley Phase II
    Grant award: $759,525
  • 2014 – Consolidated Telephone Cooperative, Region 5 Virtual Highway Project – Amount $2 million
  • 2020: CTC (Consolidated Telephone Company) – Fort Ripley/Executive Acres Project – GRANT $830,587
  • Consolidated Telephone Company (CTC) – Stark-Ross Lake Area – GRANT $350,805 This last mile project will serve approximately 180 unserved locations in a portion of Ross Lake Township in Crow Wing County.
  • Crosslake Communications – O’Brien/Goodrich Lake Fiber Project – GRANT $618,970 This last mile O’Brien/Goodrich Lake Fiber Project will serve approximately 232 unserved households in Crow Wing County.

Find more articles on broadband in Crow Wing County. (http://tinyurl.com/zechgaw)

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.

Cottonwood County Broadband Profile 2023: Red Rating: Ranking out 76 of 87

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Rank: 76
Code: Red
(See Blandin Foundation interactive map)

Cottonwood County: stuck with two thirds served

Cottonwood County ranks 76 (down 4) for broadband access out of 87 counties. Cottonwood County has 67.15 percent coverage to broadband of 100 Mbps down and 20 up since 2018. They have 1587 households without access to broadband at that speed. Estimates indicate that it will cost $14.8 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
Cottonwood 7.4 4,831 67.15 1587 14759100

Windom, the county seat of Cottonwood County, has had an enviable municipal broadband network since 2004. Folks in Windom are well served. But outside of Windom, connections are mixed.

Broadband in Cottonwood has been stagnant since 2018. Cottonwood County maintains their red code because they have a big gap to close to get to their goal and they have been stuck in the same place since 2018.

  2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017
100/20 (2026 goal) 67.15 67.02 67.2 66.67 66.67 66.34 19.24
25/3 (2022 goal) 74.17 74.11 71.12 72.79 74.17 67.89 60.52

Grants:

  • 2016 – WOODSTOCK TELEPHONE WESTBROOK – GRANT: $412,391
  • 2015 – MVTV Wireless Middle Mile – Grant award: $808,080
  • 2010 – ARRA funding for City of Windom – SWMBG will build FTTP (Fiber to the Premise) infrastructure to eight rural communities in Southwestern Minnesota.

Find more articles on broadband in Cottonwood County. (http://tinyurl.com/gnqcknv)

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.

Cook County Broadband Profile 2023: Green Rating: Ranking out 22 of 87

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Rank: 22
Code: Yellow
(See Blandin Foundation interactive map)

Cook County: stalled with pretty good coverage

Cook County ranks 26 (down 4) for broadband access out of 87 counties. Cook County has 90.36 percent coverage to broadband of 100 Mbps down and 20 up. They have 483 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
Cook 3.1 5,012 90.36 483 4491900

Cook County has had more than 90 percent broadband coverage at speeds of 100/20 Mbps since we started tracking progress, thanks to a federal ARRA funding in 2010. There was a dip in coverage last year, likely due to increased granularity of mapping.

Cook County is so close but with little evidence of concerted effort to increase coverage, they retain their yellow ranking.

  2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017
100/20 (2026 goal) 90.36 90.95 94.5 94.5 94.5 94.5 94.46
25/3 (2022 goal) 90.68 90.99 94.5 94.5 94.5 94.5 94.5

Grants:

  • 2010: Cook County formed a partnership with Arrowhead Electric Cooperative, which applied for and was awarded over $16 million in federal stimulus grants and low interest loans to build a fiber-to-the-home broadband network throughout Cook County.
  • In addition, Cook County awarded Arrowhead Cooperative a $4 million grant from the 1% sales tax fund.

Find more articles on broadband in Cook County. (http://tinyurl.com/hgbzlt7)

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.

Clearwater County Broadband Profile 2023: Green Rating: Ranking out 13 of 87

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Rank: 13
Code: Green
(See Blandin Foundation interactive map)

Clearwater County: nearly there

Clearwater County ranks 13 (down from 9) for broadband access out of 87 counties. They have 98.28 percent coverage to broadband of 100 Mbps down and 20 up. They have 60 households without access to broadband at that speed. Estimates indicate that it will cost $558,000 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
Clearwater 3.4 3,497 98.28 60 558000

Clearwater County benefited from a Garden Valley Telephone Company upgrade in 2018. They  dipped in ranking this year but that’s really just other counties catching up. They rank fifth in Gig access. They retain their green ranking because they are so close to the goal.

  2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017
100/20 (2026 goal) 98.28 98.85 99.59 89.32 89.3 89.3 73.41
25/3 (2022 goal) 99.26 99.29 99.76 99.74 99.74 99.58 99.58

Grants/Funding:

Find more articles on broadband in Clearwater County. (http://tinyurl.com/homdjrt)

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.

Clay County Broadband Profile 2023: Green Rating: Ranking out 25 of 87

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Rank: 25
Code: Green
(See Blandin Foundation interactive map)

Clay County: consistent, incremental improvements over years

Clay County ranks 25 (down from 20) for broadband access out of 87 counties. Clay County has 90.72 percent coverage to broadband of 100 Mbps down and 20 up. They have 1874 households without access to broadband at that speed. Estimates indicate that it will cost $17.4 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
Clay 19.2 20,173 90.71 1874 17428200

Clay County has seen a dip in ranking and percentage of access since last year. That is likely because of map correction, but it is frustrating. 702 Communications got $2.6 million in December 2022 in Border to Border funding to serve 369 households, businesses, and farms in rural Clay County. Red River Communications has two applications in the current round of Border to Border grants, which should be decided early in 2024.

Clay County residents were awarded 21 line extension funding requests, which means state funding will subsidize last mile broadband extension to their homes.

Clay County gets a green ranking because they have 90 percent coverage and it appears as if they are actively seeking improvement.

  2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017
100/20 (2026 goal) 90.71 92.06 89.08 87.57 82.32 82.52 74.13
25/3 (2022 goal) 96.75 95.56 95.66 90.31 95.82 95.45 83.15

Grants

  • 2022: 702 Communications – Western Clay County Kragnes Township– GRANT $2,624,830
  • 2019: Arvig (Loretel Systems, Inc.) – Cormorant Lakes Area Project – GRANT $430,780

Find more articles on broadband in Clay County. (http://tinyurl.com/hcgg9rm)

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.