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

Hubbard County: needs another great leap forward

Hubbard County had a great leap in access in 2020. They have stayed stagnant since then. And I don’t hear much from them.

Projected allocation of American Recovery Project ARP funds in Hubbard is $4,168,047; broadband is one possible use.

There may be an influx of funding. Most people have felt the pinch of broadband need during the pandemic so hopefully they will decide to invest. In the meantime, they get a code yellow.

Broadband Access:

Computer Access:

Past grants:

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

Checklist:

• Find more articles on broadband in Hubbard County. (http://tinyurl.com/hy7et5e)
• 100/20 Mbps ranking: 21 (down 3 places)
• Has worked with Blandin: no
• Has received a MN Broadband grant: yes
• Household density: 8.7

Details:

• Districts: CD 8
  Senate: 02 & 05
  House: 2B, 5A
• Find your reps

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

Houston County: recent incremental change

Houston County broadband has improved incrementally in the last year, likely due to a MN State Broadband grant with AcenTek in 2019.

Projected allocation of American Recovery Project ARP funds in Houston is $3,607,355; broadband is one possible use.

They have seen improvement but without receiving a grant last year and a history of not much change, it seems unlikely that they will get to ubiquitous broadband and so they are code red.

Broadband Access:

Computer Access:

Past grant:

• 2019: AcenTek – Rural Houston Exchange FTTH – GRANT $2,895,318

Checklist:

• Find more articles on broadband in Houston County. (http://tinyurl.com/zst4kf5)
• 100/20 Mbps ranking: 51 (up 6 places)
• Has worked with Blandin: no
• Has received a MN Broadband grant: yes
• Household density: 5.52

Details:

• Districts: CD 1
  Senate: 28
  House: 28B
• Find your reps

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: 8
Code: Green
(See Blandin Foundation interactive map)

Hennepin County: population density helps attract broadband

Hennepin County is dipping in the ranking but their coverage remains the same. It just means other counties are catching up to them and that’s’ good since they have nearly ubiquitous coverage.

Hennepin has the population density that makes an easy business case for providers to want to serve the area.

Hennepin County will benefit from a few MN State Grants awarded in 2021:

• Mediacom Minnesota LLC – Minnestrista Project – GRANT $189,752 This last mile project will serve 80 unserved households in Minnestrista in Hennepin County.

The grant will likely help push Hennepin County even closer to their goal but it is their population density and metro standing that make the code green so easy.

Broadband Access:

Computer Access:

Past grants:

• 2017 – Mediacom Minnesota LLC – Medina 2018 Broadband Build – GRANT $62,219

Checklist:

• Find more articles on broadband in Hennepin County. (http://tinyurl.com/z9n7ea6)
• 100/20 Mbps ranking: 8 (down 2)
• Has worked with Blandin: no
• Has received a MN Broadband grant: yes
• Household density: 861.28

Details:

• Districts: CD 4, 5 & 6
  Senate: 29, 30, 33, 34, 36, 40, 41, 44, 45, 46, 48, 49, 50, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63
  House:  29A, 30B, 33A, 33B, 34A, 34B, 36A, 36B, 40A, 40B, 41B, 44A, 44B, 45A, 45B, 46A, 46B, 48A, 48B, 49A, 49B, 50A, 50B, 59A, 59B, 60A, 60B, 61A, 61B, 62A, 62B, 63A, 63B
• Find your reps

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

Grant County: quietly increasing broadband access

Grant County is one of the few that I hear little about throughout the year; yet they have increased access by more than 10 percent this year.

Projected allocation of American Recovery Project ARP funds in Grant is $1,158,233; broadband is one possible use.

There is an opportunity for an influx of funding. It’s difficult to know what will happen. One strange issue is that they are well served at the slower speed of 25/3, which means many residents may be complacent, but it does not build for the future or attract new people of business. They remain code red.

Broadband Access:

Computer Access:

Checklist:

• Find more articles on broadband in Grant County. (http://tinyurl.com/z9n7ea6)
• 100/20 Mbps ranking: 61 (up 7)
• Has worked with Blandin: no
• Has received a MN Broadband grant: no
• Household density: 4.18

Details:

• Districts: CD 7
  Senate: 12
  House: 12A
• Find your reps

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: 32
Code: Red
(See Blandin Foundation interactive map)

Goodhue County: still holding onto haves and have-nots

Red Wing (in Goodhue County) is known for its impressive FTTH and broadband promotion and use. BUT outside of Red Wing, the county is lagging and has been for a while.

They did get some state grants in 2021. Goodhue County will benefit from a few MN State Grants awarded in 2021:

• 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.

They are in line for possible funding in the future. Projected allocation of American Recovery Project ARP funds in Goodhue is $8,987,358; broadband is one possible use.

They have been lagging too long, especially given the tech focus in part of the county; that is why they are now code red. But some of the 2021 grants have been completed and federal funding is possible. Their progress may seem much better after the next round of mapping.

Broadband Access:

Computer Access:

Past grants:

• 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

Checklist:

• Find more articles on broadband in Goodhue County. (http://tinyurl.com/z3jwte4)
• 100/20 Mbps ranking: 48 (down 2 places)
• Has worked with Blandin: yes
• Has received a MN Broadband grant: yes
• Household density: 23.57

Details:

• Districts: CD 2
  Senate: 21, 58
  House: 21A, 21B, 58B
• Find your reps

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

Freeborn County: Stalled broadband but funding on its way

Freeborn County’s broadband has been stagnant since 2019. But activity is starting again. MidCo is extending fiber to parts of Dodge County.

Freeborn County will benefit from a MN State Grant awarded in 2021:

• 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.

Projected allocation of American Recovery Project ARP funds in Freeborn is $5,872,813; broadband is one possible use.

The influx of money and engaged providers has bumped Freeborn County up to code yellow.

Broadband Access:

Computer Access:

Past grants:

• 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.

Checklist:

• Find more articles on broadband in Freeborn County. (http://tinyurl.com/hw7ptnz)
• 100/20 Mbps ranking: 32 (down 5)
• Has worked with Blandin: no
• Has received a MN Broadband grant: yes
• Household density: 16.66

Details:

• Districts: CD 1
  Senate: 27
  House: 27A, 27B
• Find your reps

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: 75
Code: Red
(See Blandin Foundation interactive map)

Fillmore County: ReConnect award could put them back on track

Fillmore County has been hovering around 50 percent access to 100/20 Mbps broadband since we began tracking progress.

Last year they received a $5.4 million award from the USDA, which should be able to put them on a better track to ubiquitous access to 100/20 Mbps. COVID stalled that effort but a fixed wireless provider (MiBroadband) had also stepped up to provide service that can be deployed more quickly. One strange issue is that now that they are well served at the slower speed of 25/3, which means many residents may be complacent, but it does not build for the future or attract new people of business. Hopefully the ReConnect is back on track.

AT&T has built a FirstNet tower in the area. Projected allocation of American Recovery Project ARP funds in Fillmore is $4,085,815; broadband is one possible use.

Fillmore County will benefit from a few MN State Grants awarded in 2021:

• 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.

Hopefully the ReConnect will get on track and the influx of money will spur improved broadband but at this point the community needs to get engaged; that is why they maintain a code red.

Broadband Access:

Computer Access:

Past grants:

• 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.

Checklist:

• Find more articles on broadband in Fillmore County. (http://tinyurl.com/hxe6jal)
• 100/20 Mbps ranking: 75 (same)
• Has worked with Blandin: no
• Has received a MN Broadband grant: yes
• Household density: 9.36

Details:

• Districts: CD 1
  Senate: 28
  House: 28B
• Find your reps

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

Faribault County: Needs help

Faribault County is served primarily by BEVCOMM and Mediacom. They are engaged but they are still hovering at 40 percent access. One strange issue is that they are well served at the slower speed of 25/3, which means many residents may be complacent, but it does not build for the future or attract new people of business.

In August, Faribault County was awarded $2,886,206 for broadband improvement from the MN Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) from the Small Cities Coronavirus Community Development Block Grant Program. Also projected allocation of American Recovery Project ARP funds in Faribault is $2,647,915; broadband is one possible use.

Faribault County will benefit from a few MN State Grants awarded in 2021:

• 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.

The influx of money is hopeful but they have a steep climb and that is why they are still code red. They may benefit from intervention, such as the Blandin Accelerate program, a process to spur community acquisition and deployment of federal and state broadband funds, to find an alternative solution.

Broadband Access:

Computer Access:

Past grants:

• 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.

Checklist:

• Find more articles on broadband in Faribault County. (http://tinyurl.com/jzwv3gx)
• 100/20 Mbps ranking: 84 (down 2 spaces)
• Has worked with Blandin: yes
• Has received a MN Broadband grant: yes
• Household density: 7.53

Details:

• Districts: CD 1
  Senate: 23, 27
  House: 23A, 27A
• Find your reps

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:  56
Code: Yellow
(See Blandin Foundation interactive map)

Douglas County: Border to Border grants seem to push them forward

Douglas County has benefited from quite a few Border to Border grants. In 2018, they saw a great improvement; improvement has been small but steady since.

Douglas County will benefit from a few MN State Grants awarded in 2021:

• 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

Projected allocation of American Recovery Project ARP funds in Douglas is $7,397,212; broadband is one possible use. Because there are providers who have been focused on improvement is seems like they might be able to make that happen and will continue on incremental improvements; that is why they get a code yellow.

Broadband Access:

Computer Access:

Past grants:

• 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

Checklist:

• Find more articles on broadband in Douglas County. (http://tinyurl.com/jqpohsc)
• 100/20 Mbps ranking: 59 (down 3 places)
• Has worked with Blandin: no
• Has received a MN Broadband grant: yes
• Household density: 22.55

Details:

• Districts: CD 7
  Senate: 8, 12
  House: 8B, 12A, 12B
• Find your reps

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:  41
Code: Yellow
(See Blandin Foundation interactive map)

Dodge County: Stalled at 77 percent coverage but seeing some action

Dodge County has held steady at about 75 percentage coverage to 100/20 Mbps broadband since 2018.

MidCo is extending fiber to parts of Dodge County. In August, City of Dodge Center was awarded $3,142,747 for broadband improvement from the MN Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) from the Small Cities Coronavirus Community Development Block Grant Program. Also projected allocation of American Recovery Project ARP funds in Dodge is $4,060,020; broadband is one possible use.

Dodge County will benefit from 2 MN State Grants awarded in 2021:

• KMTelecom – Rock Dell Northwest Fiber Build – GRANT $385,173 This last mile project will serve approximately 125 unserved locations in the rural Ashland and Vernon townships in Dodge County and Salem Township in Olmsted County. In a funding partnership with the State of Minnesota, KMTelecom will improve unserved levels to 1 Gbps up and 1 Gbps down, exceeding the 2022 and 2026 state speed goals and enabling rural customers to have adequate online access to education, healthcare and work. This network will also allow the farming community to increase their productivity and have access to the latest farming technologies.
• KMTelecom – Rock Dell Southwest Fiber Build – GRANT $404,709 This last mile project will serve approximately 96 unserved households, 70 farms and five unserved businesses in rural Vernon Township in Dodge County and Sargeant Township in Mower County.

With an influx of funding and enough interest in broadband to apply for the MN Small Cities Grant, Dodge might be setting themselves up for improvement and that is why they get a yellow code.

Broadband Access:

Computer Access:

Past grants:

• 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)
• 100/20 Mbps ranking: 41 (up 2 places)
• Has worked with Blandin: no
• Has received a MN Broadband grant: yes
• Household density: 18.09

Details:

• Districts: CD 1 / 21, 24, 25 & 27
• Find your reps

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: 11
Code:  Green
(See Blandin Foundation interactive map)

Dakota County: Has plan, will succeed

Dakota County has a broadband board and staff who focus on creating better broadband. Last year, Charter received a Border to Border grant to upgrade broadband in Dakota County and County Commissioners recently approved the use of CARES Act funding on broadband improvement.

A recent report from the Institute for Local Self Reliance points out Dakota County has succeeded because of 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. However, residential access isn’t as good as it could be. Dakota’s next challenge is to leverage its network to bring much more investment to areas without broadband availability or areas with only one high-speed ISP.

The Dakota Broadband Board released a report in July (2021) on the state of broadband, noting that over 17 miles of fiber were added to the network as a result of DBB projects in 2020. And they outlined plans for the future.

Projected allocation of American Recovery Project ARP funds in Dakota is $83,205,981; broadband is one possible use.

Dakota County will benefit from a 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, Eureka and Greenvale townships in Dakota County, and New Market and Cedar Lake townships in Scott County.

Having a plan and a strong history of success, it seems likely that they will get some funding for broadband and that is why they are getting a code green.

Broadband Access:

Computer Access:

Past grants funding:

• 2020: Charter Communications – Rosemount North Project – GRANT $499,072
• 2020: Dakota County approved $800,000 in CARES Act funding for broadband.

Checklist:

• Find more articles on broadband in Dakota County. (http://tinyurl.com/hxslue9)
• 100/20 Mbps ranking: 11 (down 3 places)
• Has worked with Blandin: no
• Has received a MN Broadband grant: yes
• Household density: 287.08

Details:

• Districts: CD 2 / 51, 52, 54, 56, 57 & 58
• Find your reps

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: 30
Code: Green
(See Blandin Foundation interactive map)

Crow Wing County: Recent local investment will help move them forward

Crow Wing saw a nice upgrade to broadband in 2019; the coverage has remained stagnant since then. But the county decided to invest $1.5 million of CARES Act funding in broadband expansion with local provider, CTC last year. And CTC received funding in the last round of Border to Border grants. It appears as if neither of those had an impact on the last mapping effort so hopefully we sill see it in the next.

In May, TDS announced plans to install about 60 miles of fiber between Cass and Crow Wing counties by the end of the summer (2021). In August, Crow Wing County was awarded $4,495,340 for broadband improvement from the MN Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) from the Small Cities Coronavirus Community Development Block Grant Program. Also projected allocation of American Recovery Project ARP funds in Crow Wing is $12,617,017; broadband is one possible use.

Crow Wing County will benefit from 2 MN State Grants awarded in 2021:

• 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.

With an influx of actual and potential funding and a couple of engaged providers, Crow Wing get code green.

Broadband Access:

Computer Access:

Past grants:

• 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

Checklist:

• Find more articles on broadband in Crow Wing County. (http://tinyurl.com/zechgaw)
• 100/20 Mbps ranking: 30 (down 4 places)
• Has worked with Blandin: yes
• Has received a MN Broadband grant: yes
• Household density: 24.69

Details:

• Districts: CD 8 / 10
• Find your reps

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: 66
Code: Red
(See Blandin Foundation interactive map)

Cottonwood County: Served in the town, stagnant outside

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.

Unfortunately, the county has been stuck since 2018 with minor updates. Although according to a report from the Institute for Local Self Reliance, has been using CARES funding to get more people online. And projected allocation of American Recovery Project ARP funds in Cottonwood is $2,171,395; broadband is one possible use.

Maybe recent influx of funds or increased need due to COVID will spur more attention on broadband in Cottonwood, although most of the activity still seems to hover around Windom and that is why they get a red code.

Broadband Access:

Computer Access:

Past 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.

Checklist:

• Find more articles on broadband in Cottonwood County. (http://tinyurl.com/gnqcknv)
• 100/20 Mbps ranking: 66 (down 4 places)
• Has worked with Blandin: yes
• Has received a MN Broadband grant: yes
• Household density: 6.86

Details:

• Districts: CD 1 / 22
• Find your reps

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: 16
Code: Green
(See Blandin Foundation interactive map)

Cook County: stalled with pretty good coverage

Cook County has had almost 95 percent broadband coverage at speeds of 100/20 Mbps since we started tracking progress, thanks to a federal ARRA funding in 2010. Cook County has been involved with Blandin programs that promote broadband use but stilt they need to push to get the last 5.5 percent covered.

Cook County has received positive attention from main street media during the pandemic as a place with few COVID cases and broadband enough to telework. Very encouraging to anyone looking to relocated. Also they have projected allocation of American Recovery Project ARP funds in Cook is $1,059,515; broadband is one possible use. And AT&T has built a FirstNet Tower.

That activity might spur them to act toward ubiquitous broadband and that’s why they get a green code.

Broadband Access:

Computer Access:

Past 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.

Checklist:

• Find more articles on broadband in Cook County. (http://tinyurl.com/hgbzlt7)
• 100/20 Mbps ranking: 16 (down 2 place)
• Has worked with Blandin: yes
• Has received a MN Broadband grant: no
• Household density: 1.41

Details:

• Districts: CD 8 / 03
• Find your reps

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

Clearwater County: from yellow to green and top 5 ranking!

Clearwater County seems to have benefited from a Garden Valley Telephone Company upgrade in 2018. At that time, they look poised to meet the 2026 speed goals but not much has happened since.

AT&T launched a new FirstNet cell site in Clearwater County in 2020. That cell site may have spurred some improvements, or it may have taken advantage of existing infrastructure. The mapping available precedes the cell site announcement so it’s difficult to tell. But it seems likely that AT&T would include a local infrastructure upgrade, which we may see reflected in next year’s map.

Broadband Access:

Computer Access:

Past Grants/Funding:

• In 2018, Garden Valley Telephone Company received a $20 million loan from the USDA to deploy fiber in Polk, Clearwater, Pennington, Marshall and Red Lake counties.
• AT&T launched a new FirstNet cell site in Clearwater County.

Checklist:

• Find more articles on broadband in Clearwater County. (http://tinyurl.com/homdjrt)
• 100/20 Mbps ranking: 4 (up 18 places)
• Has worked with Blandin: no
• Has received a MN Broadband grant: yes
• Household density: 3.4

Details:

• Districts: CD 7
  Senate: 02
  House: 02A, 02B
• Find your reps

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)