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

Kandiyohi County: from code yellow to red

Kandiyohi County ranks 74 for broadband access out of 87 counties. They have 69.12 percent coverage to broadband of 100 Mbps down and 20 up. They have 5427 households without access to broadband at that speed. Estimates indicate that it will cost $50.4 million to get to ubiquitous broadband in the county.

Kandiyohi County has been working on better broadband for years. They saw a big improvement in 2019, but have been stagnant since. They came close to getting better broadband with CTC and a grant but that didn’t work out in the end.

They had been hovering around 70 percent coverage to broadband of 100 Mbps down and 20 up. They saw a decrease to 68.18 percent in 2022, which is probably due to increased granularity of reporting within a margin of error.

In December 2022, Federated was awarded a Border to Border grant of almost $5 million to serve 343 unserved and 302 underserved homes, businesses, farms, and community anchor institutions in the Kandiyohi County.  In 2023, Meeker Coop Light & Power was awarded two grants: one for $1.4 million to serve 185  locations in Kandiyohi and another  $533,959 to serve 216 households, farms, businesses and community anchor institutions. In June 2023,  United States Department of Agriculture announced a $19 million ReConnect round four grant to Meeker Cooperative Light and Power Association for a fiber-to-the-premises project covering portions of Meeker, Kandiyohi and Stearns counties.

Between Federated and Meeker Coop, they are applied for five grants in the latest Border to Border broadband grant round, which is still open but winner should be announced in early 2024.

Kandiyohi is creating partnerships that should help them get better broadband, especially when federal (BEAD) funding becomes available.

Broadband Access:

Grants:

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

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

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

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.

Rank: 87
Code: Red
(See Blandin Foundation interactive map)

Kanabec County: ranking last due to barriers

Kanabec County continues to hole rank 87 for broadband access out of 87 counties. Kanabec has 20.45 percent coverage to broadband of 100 Mbps down and 20 up. They have 5853 households without access to broadband at that speed. Estimates indicate that it will cost $54.4 million to get to ubiquitous broadband in the county.

Kanabec remains at the bottom of the ranking with less than 25 percent coverage to broadband of 100 Mbps down and 20 up. Their access has decreased last year, which probably reflected an increased granularity of reporting within a margin of error.  It decreased again this year likely due to map challenges or corrections.

In December 2022, East Central Energy was awarded three Border to Border grants that could help close the broadband gap in Kanabec:

• 2022: East Central Energy – Isanti North – GRANT $5,000,000 to reach 1,988 unserved and underserved households and 142 unserved and underserved businesses, 353 Unserved and underserved farms, and 3 unserved and underserved community anchor institutions in Kanabec and Isanti Counties
• 2022: East Central Energy – Kanabec Central – GRANT $4,403,000 to serve approximately 2,145 households and 136 businesses, 280 farms, and 2 community anchor institutions, currently unserved and underserved in Kanabec and Pine Counties
• 2022: East Central Energy – Pine South – GRANT $4,750,000 to serve approximately 2,082 households, 122 businesses, 329 farms and 2 community anchor institutions currently unserved and underserved in Pine and Kanabec Counties

East Central Energy is giving Kanabec a lot of hope and the relationship will serve the community well when looking at applying for federal (BEAD) funding through the Office of Development but with less than 25 percent coverage, they retain their red ranking.

Broadband Access:

Grants:

• 2022: East Central Energy – Isanti North – GRANT $5,000,000
• 2022: East Central Energy – Kanabec Central – GRANT $4,403,000
• 2022: East Central Energy – Pine South – GRANT $4,750,000
• 2016 – BENTON COOPERATIVE TELEPHONE COMPANY BOCK – GRANT: $510,000

Checklist:

• Find more articles on broadband in Kanabec County. (http://tinyurl.com/gvyes6n)

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.

Rank: 78
Code: Red
(See Blandin Foundation interactive map)

Jackson County stuck near the bottom of the ranking

Jackson County ranks 78 for broadband access out of 87 counties. They have 62.34 percent coverage to broadband of 100 Mbps down and 20 up. They have 11709 households without access to broadband at that speed. Estimates indicate that it will cost $15.9 million to get to ubiquitous broadband in the county.

Jackson hovered at 68 percent coverage from 2017 to 2021 but saw a decrease in the last year to 61.98, which may reflect an increase in granularity of reporting. This year there is slight improvement that aligns with the 2022 decrease. In 2023, Federated Rural Electric got a  $7 million Border to Border grant to serve 480 households, businesses, and farms in Jackson County.

It looks like improvements are being made and the recent Federated grants may help start a momentum, but they stay at their red ranking with less than 70 percent coverage.

Jackson County is in a potentially precarious position because looking at access in Chippewa County using the FCC National Map there is a big discrepancy between wireline access (61.47 percent coverage) and wireline with fixed wireless (89.57 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.

Jackson County residents were awarded 27 line extension funding requests, which means state funding will subsidize last mile broadband extension to their homes.

Broadband Access:

Grants:

• 2023: Federated Rural Electric Assoc. – Jackson County Fiber-To-The-Premises – GRANT $7,068,222
• In 2010, Southwest Minnesota Broadband Services (SMBS) received ARRA funds to deploy fiber to the home in Jackson and other counties. Through SMBS, Jackson County was also part of the Blandin Broadband Communities initiative in 2015-2016
• 2015 – MVTV Wireless Middle Mile – Grant award: $808,080

Find more articles on broadband in Jackson County. (http://tinyurl.com/h3vyqx9)

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.

Rank: 84
Code: Yellow
(See Blandin Foundation interactive map)

Isanti County: may be gaining momentum

Isanti County ranks 84 (down two) for broadband access out of 87 counties. They have 54.09 percent coverage to broadband of 100 Mbps down and 20 up since 2017. They have 7169 households without access to broadband at that speed. Estimates indicate that it will cost $66.6 million to get to ubiquitous broadband in the county.

Isanti County have been hovering at about 50 percent coverage to broadband of 100 Mbps down and 20 up since 2017. They saw some increase in the last year.

Isanti County is served by one large national provider. That may be a bottleneck to better access in those areas, because a lack of competition can impact the drive for improvement.

In December 2022, Midcontinent received $1.6 million in a Border to Border grant to serve 545 unserved and underserved households and 17 unserved and underserved businesses, farms and community anchor institutions in portions of Isanti County and East Central Energy received $5 million to serve approximately 1,988 unserved and underserved households and 142 unserved and underserved businesses, 353 Unserved and underserved farms, and 3 unserved and underserved community anchor institutions in the Isanti and Kanabec Counties.

In 2023, East Central received another Border to Border grant  of almost $5 million to serve 1,990 locations in Isanti County.

With two grants going to East Central Energy and more coming through Midcontinent, a momentum seems to be building for Isanti County, which wins them an upgrade to yellow ranking.

Past grants:

• 2023: East Central Energy – Isanti South – GRANT $4,900,000
• 2022: Midcontinent Communications, $1,647,321.00
• 2022: East Central Energy – Isanti North – GRANT $5,000,000

Find more articles on broadband in Isanti County. (http://tinyurl.com/gozt2ka)

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.

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.

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.

Grants:

• $3.2 million for Goodhue County to provide broadband coverage to multiple rural unserved and under-served areas.

• 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.

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.

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.

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.

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

Cass County: a long way to go

Cass County ranks 80, down one, for broadband access out of 87 counties. Their coverage to broadband of 100 Mbps down and 20 is 56.15 percent. They have 10179 households without access to broadband at that speed. Estimates indicate that it will cost $95 million to get to ubiquitous broadband in the county.

Cass County’s rank and percentage of cover has slipped slightly this year. This is the second year that coverage for 100/20 has dipped. One concern is that they have had wide access to 25/3 for many years, which may make some people feel complacent with the access they have and then broadband dips in community priority.

In December 2022, CTC was awarded $4.9 million in a Border to Border grant to extend broadband to parts of St. Louis, Carlton, and Cass counties. So that should help. In February, Cass County voted to invest ARPA funds on a broadband grant submitted by Arvig, which didn’t get funding but still shows an interest.

Unfortunately, Cass County will retain their red ranking because they are still at the bottom of the rankings.

grants:

• 2-22: Consolidated Telephone Company (CTC) was one of the grant recipients, receiving $4,857,030 in funding (to cover St. Louis, Carlton, and Cass counties)

• 2016 – TDS TELECOM CASS & CROW WING COUNTIES — GRANT: $3,000,000
• 2014 – Consolidated Telephone Cooperative, Region 5 Virtual Highway Project – Award $2 million
• 2020: CTC received CARES Act funding from both Crow Wing and Cass County.
• 2019: Paul Bunyan Communications – North Central Minnesota Fiber Project– GRANT $2,562,916
• 2019: WCTA (West Central Telephone Association) – Rural Staples Phase I Project – GRANT $555,355
• West Central Telephone Association – Rural Staples Phase 2 – GRANT $465,050 This last mile project will serve 56 unserved locations in extremely rural areas of Wadena and Cass counties.

Find more articles on broadband in Cass County. (http://tinyurl.com/hgtulgm)

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.

Rank: 82
Code: Red
(See Blandin Foundation interactive map)

Carlton County: hard overcoming a national incumbent provider

Carlton County ranks 82 for broadband access of 73 counties; up one place from last year. They have 6407 households without access to broadband at that speed. Estimates indicate that it will cost $59.5 million to get to ubiquitous broadband in the county.

Carlton County saw a slight bump from 83 to 82 but they are still in the bottom 10 ranking. Two projects in Carlton County got funding at the end of 2022, totaling more than $5 million so that will help them reach the broadband goal. In 2023, SCI did get $1.3 million grant Border to Border grant to serve 503 households and businesses in the townships of Barnum, Eagle Lake, Lakeview and Moose Lake. Upsala Cooperative Telephone has applied for the latest (and undecided at time of posting) round of Border to Border funding for a project in Carlton County.

Unfortunately, Carlton County is one of several counties that is served primary with one national provider, who may not be as invested locally as a local provider or cooperative. The County has shown an interest in investing federal (ARPA) money; they need engaged providers. Increased federal funding may open doors for them.

Carlton County residents were awarded 11 line extension funding requests, which means state funding will subsidize last mile broadband extension to their homes.

Carlton County still gets a red ranking but I’m hopeful that the influx of funding will encourage more.

Grants:

• 2023: Carlton County Broadband Expansion – GRANT $1,271,835
• 2022: Mediacom Minnesota LLC, $801,834.27 – for a project with a cost of $2,719,526
• 2022: Consolidated Telephone Company (CTC) was one of the grant recipients, receiving $4,857,030 in funding (to cover St. Louis, Carlton, and Cass counties)
• 2017 – Carlton County w/ Frontier – Phase I: Cromwell/Kettle River – GRANT: $569,058
• Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa – Big Lake Road Project – GRANT $602,916

Find more articles on broadband in Carlton County. (http://tinyurl.com/z4me5k4)

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.

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

Brown County: maybe some deployment will spur more

Brown County rank drops from 45 to 54 for broadband access out of 87 counties. They have 78.4 percent coverage to broadband of 100 Mbps down and 20 up. They have 2268 households without access to broadband at that speed. Estimates indicate that it will cost $21 million to get to ubiquitous broadband in the county.

Brown County seems to have taken a slight bump backwards. Their ranking dipped as the percentage of coverage of broadband. That may change if Hanson Communications gets funding in the latest (still in process) Border to Border grant round.

Brown gets a red ranking because they are going backwards and there hasn’t seen a big demonstration of wanting change.

Grants:

• 2107 – New Ulm Telecom, Inc.– Hanska A&D FTTP – GRANT $324,894
• 2016 – New Ulm Telecom, Inc. – Hanska – GRANT: $ 200,397
• 2019: Nuvera Communications, Inc. – New Ulm SW Project – GRANT $385,600
• 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 Brown County. (http://tinyurl.com/z2wwkye)

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.

Rank: 61
Code: Red
(See Blandin Foundation interactive map)

Blue Earth County: Middle of the pack

Blue Earth County dropped from rank 41 to 61 for broadband out of 87 counties. They have se76.46 percentage access to 100 Mbps down and 20 up since 2019. They have 5301 households without access to broadband at that speed. Estimates indicate that it will cost $49.1 million to get to ubiquitous broadband in the county.

Blue Earth County seems to have gone backwards this year. Percentage of access has dipped five percent. I suspect that is due to map corrections, perhaps after challenges. They aren’t in line for any grants in the works.

Blue Earth County had a broadband feasibility study done in 2019. They might do well to loop back to that study for ideas of what to do to prepare for future funding. They are getting a red ranking because they have moved backwards and there doesn’t seem to be a current push to move forward. Their ranking dropped 20 points and that was the steepest drop this year.

Grants:

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

Find more articles on broadband in Blue Earth County. (http://tinyurl.com/j5pe9kr)

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.