Rank: 24
Code: Green
(See Blandin Foundation interactive map)

Sherburne County: Great improvement

Sherburne County ranks 24 (up 9 places) for broadband access out of 87 counties. They have had incremental growth (aside from 2022 when they actually slipped) for man years. The growth this year was a little better than usual.

They don’t have any line exchange or MN state grants they can look forward to spending but they have a history of concerted effort, which means they can do it again when BEAD funding becomes available.

• Over the years, Sherburne County (or cities within) has invested $899,457 (total) for matches for 3 successful MN Broadband grants. This is an indicator of local government that is engaged and (literally) invested in better, local broadband.
• Sherburne County will not benefit from a 2024 MN Broadband.
• Sherburne County will not benefit from any line extension awards.
• Last years’ estimates indicated that it would cost $66.5 million to get ubiquitous broadband in the county. (I haven’t updated the number because recent report offers scenarios of costs based on BEAD funding rules that make current estimates less predictable than in the past. Yet, I think the number is still helpful.)
• In 2022, Sherburne ranked 8 using Microsoft’s Digital Equity Tool, which looks at various factors of a community.
• Sherburne County has worked with the Blandin Foundation. They seemed to renew an interest in broadband post-pandemic.

Past Grants

• 2023: Arvig (Tekstar) – Sherburne County Area Fiber Extension – GRANT $182,576
• 2022: Tekstar Communications, Inc. dba Arvig, $1,075,943.50 (Learn more)

• 2017 – Palmer Wireless – Sherburne County Road 3 – GRANT $110,661
• 2016 – PALMER WIRELESS BIG LAKE INDUSTRIAL PARK – GRANT: $ 90,988
• 2016 – PALMER WIRELESS DEL TONE ROAD AND ST. CLOUD AIRPORT – GRANT: $ 179,400
• 2014 – Palmer Wireless, Becker Industrial Park – Award: $151,934.

Find more articles on broadband in Sibley County(http://tinyurl.com/ztm6c9n)

The maps below on the left comes from the Office of Broadband Development interactive map, reflecting data updated on December 16, 2024. Red dots represent locations unserved locations. Above I have tracked wireline access because that is the Minnesota definition of broadband. The info below includes wired and wireless. BEAD includes fixed wireless connections as served locations. (I wrote more on the distinction between the two last year, which may be if interest in the numbers range greatly for your county.)

I am doing the annual look at broadband in each county – based on maps from the Office of Broadband Development and news gathered from the last year. I’m looking at progress toward the 2022 (25 Mbps down and 3 Mbps up) and 2026 (100 Mbps down and 20 Mbps up) and will code each:

• Red (yikes)
• Yellow (warning)
• Green (good shape)

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

Scott County: recent grant should help edge them closer

Scott County ranks 25 (down 4 places) for broadband access out of 87 counties. As part of the 7-county metro area, Scott County is a fairly metro county, so they have the advantage of proximity to the Twin Cities and some higher population density areas. They have had slow, incremental improvement since we have been tracking progress.

In Aug 2024, they surveyed their residents about broadband to maximize access to BEAD funding. They retain their green ranking because they are so close and continue to improve.

They retain their green ranking.

• Over the years, Scott County (or cities within) has invested $50,000 (total) for matches for 6 successful MN Broadband grants. This is an indicator of local government that is engaged and (literally) invested in better, local broadband.
• Scott County will not benefit from a 2024 MN Broadband grant.
• Scott will benefit from 5 line extension awards (Rounds 1 and 2), which extend broadband to individual locations.
• Last years’ estimates indicated that it would cost $26.8 million to get ubiquitous broadband in the county. (I haven’t updated the number because recent report offers scenarios of costs based on BEAD funding rules that make current estimates less predictable than in the past. Yet, I think the number is still helpful.)
• In 2022, Scott ranked 3using Microsoft’s Digital Equity Tool, which looks at various factors of a community.

Broadband Access:

Grants:

• 2022: Nuvera Communications, Inc., $2,436,427.00

• 2017 – Jaguar Communications – Sand Creek Township Area Broadband Project – GRANT $192,405
• 2019: BEVCOMM (Eckles Telephone Company) – Le Sueur County Project – GRANT $1,857,376

• MN State Grant awarded in 2021: Nuvera Communications, Inc. – Webster Rural FTTP – GRANT $431,260 This last mile project will serve 103 unserved and 178 underserved locations in Wheatland and Webster townships in Rice County, Euraka and Greenvale townships in Dakota County, and New Market and Cedar Lake townships in Scott County.

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

The maps below on the left comes from the Office of Broadband Development interactive map, reflecting data updated on December 16, 2024. Red dots represent locations unserved locations. Above I have tracked wireline access because that is the Minnesota definition of broadband. The info below includes wired and wireless. BEAD includes fixed wireless connections as served locations. (I wrote more on the distinction between the two last year, which may be if interest in the numbers range greatly for your county.)

I am doing the annual look at broadband in each county – based on maps from the Office of Broadband Development and news gathered from the last year. I’m looking at progress toward the 2022 (25 Mbps down and 3 Mbps up) and 2026 (100 Mbps down and 20 Mbps up) and will code each:

• Red (yikes)
• Yellow (warning)
• Green (good shape)

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

Roseau County: So close but need to get traction again

Roseau County ranks 22 (down 5 places) for broadband access out of 87 counties.

Roseau County saw an amazing leap in broadband in 2018 – from 0 to 67 percent. They have seen incremental growth since then, but seem to have stalled in the last year. They retain their green ranking because they are so close to goal

• Over the years, Roseau County (or cities within) has not invested in matches for any successful MN Broadband grants.
• Roseau County will not benefit from a 2024 MN Broadband grant.
• Roseau County will not benefit from any line extension awards (Rounds 1 and 2), which extend broadband to individual locations.
• Last years’ estimates indicated that it would cost $2.1 million to get ubiquitous broadband in the county. (I haven’t updated the number because recent report offers scenarios of costs based on BEAD funding rules that make current estimates less predictable than in the past. Yet, I think the number is still helpful.)
• In 2022, Roseau ranked 74 using Microsoft’s Digital Equity Tool, which looks at various factors of a community.

Broadband Access:

Grants:

• 2017 – Wikstrom Telephone – Wiktel NW MN Broadband – GRANT $1,307,785
• 2016 – SJOBERG’S INC. ROSEAU AND LAKE OF THE WOODS COUNTIES — GRANT: $354,740
• 2016 – CENTURYLINK THIEF RIVER MIDDLE MILE – GRANT: $1,324,400
• 2016 – WIKSTROM TELEPHONE COMPANY WIKTEL NW MN – GRANT: $950,823
• 2014 – Sjoberg Cable, Broadband Grant Proposal – Award $261,575
• 2014 – Wikstrom Telephone, Kittson, Marshall, Roseau Broadband Extension Amount $425,000
• 2019: Wikstrom Telephone – Wiktel NW MN Broadband Project – GRANT $1,151,526

Find more articles on broadband in Roseau County (http://tinyurl.com/gsq45ua)

The maps below on the left comes from the Office of Broadband Development interactive map, reflecting data updated on December 16, 2024. Red dots represent locations unserved locations. Above I have tracked wireline access because that is the Minnesota definition of broadband. The info below includes wired and wireless. BEAD includes fixed wireless connections as served locations. (I wrote more on the distinction between the two last year, which may be if interest in the numbers range greatly for your county.)

I am doing the annual look at broadband in each county – based on maps from the Office of Broadband Development and news gathered from the last year. I’m looking at progress toward the 2022 (25 Mbps down and 3 Mbps up) and 2026 (100 Mbps down and 20 Mbps up) and will code each:

• Red (yikes)
• Yellow (warning)
• Green (good shape)

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

Rock County: Nearly Perfect

Rock County ranks 10 (down 9 places) for broadband access out of 87 counties. They had 100 percent coverage to broadband of 100 Mbps down and 20 up but now the maps show 99.34 percent. It is a map correction, but they are still very close.

They still have a green ranking.

• Over the years, Rock County (or cities within) has not invested in match for any successful MN Broadband grants. This is an indicator of local government that is engaged and (literally) invested in better, local broadband.
• Rock County will not benefit from a 2024 MN Broadband grant.
• Rock County will not benefit from any line extension awards
• In 2022, Rock ranked 21 using Microsoft’s Digital Equity Tool, which looks at various factors of a community.

Broadband Access:

Grants:

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

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

The maps below on the left comes from the Office of Broadband Development interactive map, reflecting data updated on December 16, 2024. Red dots represent locations unserved locations. Above I have tracked wireline access because that is the Minnesota definition of broadband. The info below includes wired and wireless. BEAD includes fixed wireless connections as served locations. (I wrote more on the distinction between the two last year, which may be if interest in the numbers range greatly for your county.)

I am doing the annual look at broadband in each county – based on maps from the Office of Broadband Development and news gathered from the last year. I’m looking at progress toward the 2022 (25 Mbps down and 3 Mbps up) and 2026 (100 Mbps down and 20 Mbps up) and will code each:

• Red (yikes)
• Yellow (warning)
• Green (good shape)

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

Red Lake County: Three years of ubiquitous broadband

Red Lake County ranks 1 for broadband access out of 87 counties. They have 100 percent coverage to broadband of 100 Mbps down and 20 up.

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

• Over the years, Ramsey County (or cities within) has not invested in matches for any successful MN Broadband grants.
• Ramsey County will not benefit from a 2024 MN Broadband grant.
• Ramsey County will not benefit from line extension awards.
• Last years’ estimates indicated that it would cost 0 to get ubiquitous broadband in the county. (I haven’t updated the number because recent report offers scenarios of costs based on BEAD funding rules that make current estimates less predictable than in the past. Yet, I think the number is still helpful.)
• In 2022, Ramsey ranked 13 using Microsoft’s Digital Equity Tool, which looks at various factors of a community.

Past grant:

• None

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

The maps below on the left comes from the Office of Broadband Development interactive map, reflecting data updated on December 16, 2024. Red dots represent locations unserved locations. Above I have tracked wireline access because that is the Minnesota definition of broadband. The info below includes wired and wireless. BEAD includes fixed wireless connections as served locations. (I wrote more on the distinction between the two last year, which may be if interest in the numbers range greatly for your county.)

I am doing the annual look at broadband in each county – based on maps from the Office of Broadband Development and news gathered from the last year. I’m looking at progress toward the 2022 (25 Mbps down and 3 Mbps up) and 2026 (100 Mbps down and 20 Mbps up) and will code each:

• Red (yikes)
• Yellow (warning)
• Green (good shape)

Rank: 5
Code: Green
(See Blandin Foundation interactive map)

Ramsey County: nearly at 2026 goal already

Ramsey County ranks 5 (down one place) for broadband access out of 87 counties. They have had more than 99 percent coverage to broadband of 100 Mbps down and 20 up.

Ramsey County is a metro-based county where the market makes it feasible for broadband providers to serve broadband profitably.

They have a green ranking.

• Over the years, Ramsey County (or cities within) has not invested in matches for any successful MN Broadband grants.
• Ramsey County will not benefit from a 2024 MN Broadband grant.
• Ramsey County will not benefit from any line extension awards.
• Last years’ estimates indicated that it would cost $260,400 to get ubiquitous broadband in the county. (I haven’t updated the number because recent report offers scenarios of costs based on BEAD funding rules that make current estimates less predictable than in the past. Yet, I think the number is still helpful.)
• In 2022, Ramsey ranked 13 using Microsoft’s Digital Equity Tool, which looks at various factors of a community.
• Ramsey County created a Connectivity Blueprint in 2023 to smooth a path to digital equity.

Past grants:

None

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

The maps below on the left comes from the Office of Broadband Development interactive map, reflecting data updated on December 16, 2024. Red dots represent locations unserved locations. Above I have tracked wireline access because that is the Minnesota definition of broadband. The info below includes wired and wireless. BEAD includes fixed wireless connections as served locations. (I wrote more on the distinction between the two last year, which may be if interest in the numbers range greatly for your county.)

I am doing the annual look at broadband in each county – based on maps from the Office of Broadband Development and news gathered from the last year. I’m looking at progress toward the 2022 (25 Mbps down and 3 Mbps up) and 2026 (100 Mbps down and 20 Mbps up) and will code each:

• Red (yikes)
• Yellow (warning)
• Green (good shape)

Rank: 3
Code:  Green
(See Blandin Foundation interactive map)

Pope County: latest grant project will make a difference

Pope County ranks 3 (up 40 points) for broadband access out of 87 counties. Last year they had 911 households without access to 100/20 broadband. But in December 2022, Hanson Communications received $4.3 million in Border to Border money to serve 504 underserved locations and 553 unserved locations. It seems like that deployment is going well.

Pope earns a green ranking.

• Over the years, Pope County (or cities within) has invested $1,067,199 (total) for matches for 1 successful MN Broadband grants. This is an indicator of local government that is engaged and (literally) invested in better, local broadband.
• Pope County will not benefit from a 2024 MN Broadband grant.
• Pope County will not benefit from any line extension awards
• Last years’ estimates indicated that it would cost $19.5 million to get ubiquitous broadband in the county. (I haven’t updated the number because recent report offers scenarios of costs based on BEAD funding rules that make current estimates less predictable than in the past. Yet, I think the number is still helpful.)
• In 2022, Pope ranked 46 using Microsoft’s Digital Equity Tool, which looks at various factors of a community.

Past Grant:

• 2022: Hanson Communications, Inc., $4,248,796.00

• 2017 – Hanson Communications – Minnewaska Area FTTP – GRANT $4,996,791

Find more articles on broadband in Pope County (http://tinyurl.com/hx7q9fd)

The maps below on the left comes from the Office of Broadband Development interactive map, reflecting data updated on December 16, 2024. Red dots represent locations unserved locations. Above I have tracked wireline access because that is the Minnesota definition of broadband. The info below includes wired and wireless. BEAD includes fixed wireless connections as served locations. (I wrote more on the distinction between the two last year, which may be if interest in the numbers range greatly for your county.)

I am doing the annual look at broadband in each county – based on maps from the Office of Broadband Development and news gathered from the last year. I’m looking at progress toward the 2022 (25 Mbps down and 3 Mbps up) and 2026 (100 Mbps down and 20 Mbps up) and will code each:

• Red (yikes)
• Yellow (warning)
• Green (good shape)

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

Polk County: Very close with grant coming in for 2025

Polk County ranks 17 (down three points) for broadband access out of 87 counties.

They have had incremental improvement since we have been tracking; staying about even with last year. They will benefit from $1 million 2024 MN State grant, which might help give them a jump in coverage.

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

• Over the years, Polk County (or cities within) has not invested in matches for any successful MN Broadband grants.
• Polk County will benefit from a 2024 $1 million MN Broadband grant award that will serve 80 locations.
• Polk County will not benefit from any line extension awards.
• Last years’ estimates indicated that it would cost $2.5 million to get ubiquitous broadband in the county. (I haven’t updated the number because recent report offers scenarios of costs based on BEAD funding rules that make current estimates less predictable than in the past. Yet, I think the number is still helpful.)
• In 2022, Polk ranked 44 using Microsoft’s Digital Equity Tool, which looks at various factors of a community.

2024 Grant:

• County: Polk
  Garden Valley Telephone Co
  Garden Valley Tel – Rural E Grand Forks
  Grant: $1,050,465
  Local Match: $350,15
  Total Budget: $1,400,620
  The Garden Valley Technologies Rural East Grand Forks Low Density project proposed by Garden Valley Technologies (GVT) is a last mile Fiber-To-The-Home (FTTH) project which will serve 80 total locations. Of the 80 locations, 49 are residential households, 2 businesses, 3 community institutions and 26 farms located in northwest Minnesota. The geography of the project is mostly farm land and encompasses an area in northwest Minnesota that include portions of Northland, Sullivan, and Tabor townships in Polk County. GVT has been providing telecommunications services in northwestern Minnesota since 1906 and has been awarded five previous state grants. Individual residents contributed a $650 match toward the project.

Past Grants

• 2023: Garden Valley Technologies – 2023 Rural Warren SW – GRANT $1,488,322
• 2022: Garden Valley Technologies – Rural Warren East & Rural Oslo – GRANT $1,462,569
• 2016 – HALSTAD TELEPHONE COMPANY KERTSONVILLE AREA – GRANT: $296,665
• 2015 – Halstad Telephone Company – Gentilly Township – Grant award: $424,460
• 2014 – Halstad Telephone Co., Halstad Tract MN 11902500 FTTH Amount $1.65 million
• 2019: Halstad Telephone Company – Rural East Grand Forks Expansion Project – GRANT $440,000

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

• Halstad Telephone Company – North Fisher Expansion – GRANT $619,000 This last mile project will upgrade approximately 57 unserved and seven underserved locations in portions of Huntsville, Nesbit and Fanny townships in Polk County.
• Wikstrom Telephone Co. Inc. – Wiktel NW MN Broadband 2020 – GRANT $490,997 The last mile project will serve 153 unserved locations in sparsely populated areas in Kittson, Marshall and Polk counties.

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

The maps below on the left comes from the Office of Broadband Development interactive map, reflecting data updated on December 16, 2024. Red dots represent locations unserved locations. Above I have tracked wireline access because that is the Minnesota definition of broadband. The info below includes wired and wireless. BEAD includes fixed wireless connections as served locations. (I wrote more on the distinction between the two last year, which may be if interest in the numbers range greatly for your county.)

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)