Rank: 47
Code: Yellow
(See Blandin Foundation interactive map)

Mahnomen: From red to yellow ranking with latest momentum

Mahnomen County ranks 47 (up 19 points) for broadband access out of 87 counties. They 82.54 percent coverage to broadband of 100 Mbps down and 20. They have 304 households without access to broadband at that speed. Estimates indicate that it will cost $2.8 million to get to ubiquitous broadband in the county.

They went from almost 19 percent coverage to broadband of 100 Mbps down and 20 up in 2019 to 71 percent coverage in 2021 and a new jump to 82.54. Their had one of the great leaps in ranking from 66 to 47. It may be premature but given the recent momentum, they are getting upgraded from red to yellow ranking.

Past grant:

• 2017 – Garden Valley Telephone Company – Bejou – GRANT $1,304,421

Find more articles on broadband in Mahnomen County (https://tinyurl.com/4bfrr34x)

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: 50
Code: Yellow
(See Blandin Foundation interactive map)

Le Sueur County: When Federal Funding gets in the way

Le Sueur County ranks 50 (up six points) for broadband access out of 87 counties. They have 81.23 percent coverage to broadband of 100 Mbps down and 20. They have 2276 households without access to broadband at that speed. Estimates indicate that it will cost $21 million to get to ubiquitous broadband in the county.

Le Sueur started focusing on broadband in earnest in 2018. In 2020, they became a Blandin Broadband Community. They were busy creating a local plan and have become even more active since issues with federal funding preventing them from moving forward.

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 Le Sueur 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.  Le Sueur mourns the lost opportunity of being eligible for funding during the LTD Broadband saga.

They are also concerned about being in a potentially precarious position because looking at access in Le Sueur County using the FCC National Map there is a big discrepancy between wireline access (78.43 percent coverage) and wireline with fixed wireless (96.24 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 December 2022, Bevcomm was awarded almost $1 million  to serve approximately 222 unserved and underserved homes, business, farms, and one community anchor institution in Le Sueur County.

The Le Sueur community remains engaged. Le Sueur County Broadband Initiative county had a booth at the county fair; an effort that was analyzed in MinnPost.

Broadband Access:

Grants:

• 2022: Bevcomm – Rural Le Sueur County Broadband Expansion Project – Phase Two – GRANT $941,576 (Learn more)

• 2016 – ECKLES TELEPHONE COMPANY (DBA BEVCOMM) RURAL HEIDELBERG– GRANT:  $188,000
• BEVCOMM (Eckles Telephone Company) – Le Sueur County Project – GRANT $1,857,376

Find more articles on broadband in Le Sueur County (http://tinyurl.com/jbg7ghy)

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: 29
Code: Yellow
(See Blandin Foundation interactive map)

Lake County: ARRA award may have been bumpy, but they are well served

Lake County ranks 29 (up 7 points) for broadband access out of 87 counties. They have 88.5 percent coverage to broadband of 100 Mbps down and They have 819 households without access to broadband at that speed. Estimates indicate that it will cost $7.6 million to get to ubiquitous broadband in the county.

Lake County received an American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) award in 2010 to build Fiber to the Home (FTTH). That grant came with a lot of bumps in the road, but got them to 90 percent of the very remote county has access to 100/20 Mbps broadband. It started as a public network; it’s now privately owned but many people are well served. They are one of five counties that has not yet received border to border funding.

Lake had hovered around 93 percent coverage to broadband of 100 Mbps down and 20 up from 2017-2021 but it dipped to 84 percent in 2022. The dip is likely the result of increased granularity of reporting.  They have bumped up a little since then.

They seem to be gaining traction; that’s a good thing but not enough proof in the traction to bump them from yellow to green ranking.

Broadband Access:

Grants:

• In 2010, Lake County received an ARRA award of $66.3 million to improve broadband access in their area; about $10 million of the award was an outright grant; the rest was a low-interest loan. There were bumps along the road to getting fiber to the community but now they are well served.

Checklist:

• Find more articles on broadband in Lake County (http://tinyurl.com/j7pu3le)

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: 23
Code: Yellow
(See Blandin Foundation interactive map)

Kittson County: gaining traction

Kittson County ranks 23 (up 4 poimts) for broadband access out of 87 counties. They have 92.69 percent coverage to broadband of 100 Mbps down and 20 up. They have 137 households without access to broadband at that speed. Estimates indicate that it will cost $534,000 to get to ubiquitous broadband in the county.

Kittson County saw small increases in access until 2022 but their progress is continuing. In December  2022, Wikstron Telephone was awarded a $665,699 Border to Border award serving Beltrami, Kittson, Lake of the Woods and Marshall. In 2023, Wikstron got another grant of $2.5 million to serve rural, sparsely populated areas in Kittson and Marshall counties in far northwest Minnesota, passing 199 homes, businesses and farms. And Wikstrom has applied for a grants i the latest Border to Border broadband grant round, which is still open but winner should be announced in early 2024.

Kittson seems to be gaining traction with local provider partnership, which should serve them well when federal funding (BEAD) becomes available but they retain their yellow ranking for now.

Broadband Access:

Grants:

• 2023: Wikstrom Telephone Company – Wiktel NW MN Broadband 2023 – GRANT $2,531,488
• 2022: Wikstrom Telephone Co. Inc, $665,699.00 (serving Beltrami, Kittson, Lake of the Woods and Marshall)

• 2017 – Wikstrom Telephone – Wiktel NW MN Broadband – GRANT $1,307,785
• 2016 – WIKSTROM TELEPHONE COMPANY WIKTEL NW MN – GRANT: $950,823
• 2014 – Wikstrom Telephone, Kittson, Marshall, Roseau Broadband Extension – Award $425,000
• 2019 Wikstrom Telephone – Wiktel NW MN Broadband Project – GRANT $1,151,526

Find more articles on broadband in Kittson. (https://bit.ly/2kcNnpz)

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: 31
Code: Yellow
(See Blandin Foundation interactive map)

Itasca County: recent grant will help improve access

Itasca County ranks 31 for broadband access out of 87 counties. They have 88.39 percent coverage to broadband of 100 Mbps down and 20 up. They have 2806 households without access to broadband at that speed. Estimates indicate that it will cost $26 million to get to ubiquitous broadband in the county.

Itasca County is home to the Blandin Foundation and the community is engaged in broadband development; in early 2022, they looked at the local digital divide before and after/during COVID pandemic.

They have hovered around 85 percent coverage to broadband of 100 Mbps down and 20 up since 2019. In 2023, Paul Bunyan Telephone was awarded $10 million in ReConnect funds for networks in Hubbard, Itasca, and St. Louis counties. That should help close some gaps but not to the point of earning a green versus yellow ranking.

Grants:

• 2023: Paul Bunyan Telephone awarded $10 million in ReConnect funds for networks in Hubbard, Itasca, and St. Louis counties
• 2017 – Paul Bunyan Communications – North Central Fiber – GRANT $802,620
• 2016 MEDIACOM HARRIS TOWNSHIP – GRANT: $224,369
• 2016 – PAUL BUNYAN COMMUNICATIONS HUBBARD, BECKER & ITASCA COUNTIES – GRANT: $1,742,232
• 2015 – Paul Bunyan Central Itasca County Fiber – Grant Award: $1,980,000
• Paul Bunyan Communications – North Central Minnesota Fiber Project– GRANT $2,562,916

Find more articles on broadband in Itasca County. (http://tinyurl.com/grujo6t)

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

Hubbard County: code from going from yellow to red to yellow in two years

Hubbard County ranks 22 (down one place) for broadband access out of 87 counties. They have 93.63 percent coverage to broadband of 100 Mbps down and 20 up. They have 887 households without access to broadband at that speed. Estimates indicate that it will cost $8.2 million to get to ubiquitous broadband in the county.

After a leap in access in 2020, Hubbard stayed stagnant for a while but it looks like they might be edging closer to goal. In February 2023, Paul Bunyan Telephone was awarded $10 million in ReConnect funds for networks in Hubbard, Itasca, and St. Louis counties.

Hubbard County residents were awarded 28 line extension funding requests, which means state funding will subsidize last mile broadband extension to their homes.

The progress along with ReConnect grant bump Hubbard County back to yellow ranking.

Grants:

• 2017 – Paul Bunyan Communications – North Central Fiber – GRANT $802,620
• 2016 – PAUL BUNYAN COMMUNICATIONS HUBBARD, BECKER & ITASCA COUNTIES – GRANT: $1,742,232

Find more articles on broadband in Hubbard County. (http://tinyurl.com/hy7et5e)

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: 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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)

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:  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.

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.

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:

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

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: 60
Code:  Yellow
(See Blandin Foundation interactive map)

Chisago County: resilience with a plan

Chisago County ranks 60 for broadband access out of 87 counties. Chisago County has 76.81 percent coverage of broadband of 100 Mbps down. They have 4878 households without access to broadband at that speed. Estimates indicate that it will cost $45.3 million to get to ubiquitous broadband in the county.

Like several other counties, Chisago County has areas where there is one national provider (or another). Often national providers are not as engaged in rural areas as providers with roots in the community. Chicago has found creative ways to get around that in several towns in the county.

Few counties are as engaged as Chisago is with promoting better broadband; last year a report from the Institute for Local Self Reliance pointed out, they have a plan to apply for State funding one community at a time until they’re covered. With a plan like that, they get a green code, despite their numbers!

In December 2022, Qwest got almost $500,000 to deploy the fiber to 119 unserved and 66 underserved locations in Harris Minnesota.

Chisago County is getting a yellow ranking because they have been stagnant but I suspect their years of engagement will help prepare them to take advantage of incoming federal (BEAD) funding.

Past grants:

• 2022: Qwest Corporation dba CenturyLink QC, $465,814.00

• 2017 – CenturyLink – Fish Lake Township FTTH Project – GRANT $1,833,724
• 2016 – SUNRISE TOWNSHIP (CENTURYLINK) FIBER TO THE HOME – GRANT: $1,074,852
• CenturyLink (Qwest Corporation) – Nessel Township FTTH Project – GRANT $1,657,550

Find more article on Chicago (https://blandinonbroadband.org/?s=chisago&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.

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

Chippewa County: stagnant access just over 80 percent

Chippewa County ranks 44 (dropping one place) for broadband access out of 87 counties. Chippewa County’s percent coverage to broadband of 100 Mbps down and 20 up is 84.52). They have 728 households without access to broadband at that speed. Estimates indicate that it will cost $6.8 million to get to ubiquitous broadband in the county.

Chippewa County saw improvement in coverage this year, even if they dropped ranking. In December 2022, Farmers Mutual received $4.7 million to service to 636 unique locations across 10 townships in rural portions of Chippewa County. Hanson Communications has applied for the most recent round of Border to Border grants (awards should be made early 2024); if they get funding that will certainly help reach their goal.

Chippewa 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 (76.09 percent coverage) and wireline with fixed wireless (98.3 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.

Chippewa County retains their yellow ranking because it seems like efforts are being made to improve broadband but it still needs to happen.

Grants:

• 2022: Farmers Mutual Telephone Company, $4,728,186.00

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

Find more articles on broadband in Chippewa County. (http://tinyurl.com/htwz58a)

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.