2017 Broadband Grant Recipients - Round 4
Recipients
AcenTek - Rushford Village/Rural Rushford Fiber Build - Grant $2,011,628
The Rushford Village/Rural Rushford Fiber Build last mile project will serve 226 unserved households, 20 unserved businesses, and 289 underserved households, 20 underserved businesses, and 2 underserved community anchor institutions in the Rushford Village/Rural Rushford exchange in Fillmore County. In a funding partnership with the State of Minnesota and Fillmore County, AcenTek will improve broadband levels to a minimum of 1 gigabit per second (Gbps) download and 100 megabits per second (Mbps) upload, exceeding the state speed goal set for the year 2026.
With fiber optic cable installation, rural Rushford will see many advancements in medicine, education, and agriculture. These three industries impact nearly every home in rural Rushford and Rushford Village. Agriculture producers will have opportunities for technology advancement, employees of area medical facilities may have options for telecommuting, and students will have faster Internet speeds for research and study materials.
Total eligible project cost is $5,158,020
Local match is $3,146,392
Advantenon - Rural Grant, Stevens and Wilkin Counties - Grant $316,554
The Rural Grant, Stevens and Wilkin Counties fixed wireless project will serve 528 unserved households, 132 unserved businesses, and 8 unserved community anchor institutions in eligible areas across these three western Minnesota counties. In a funding partnership with the State of Minnesota, Advantenon will improve broadband service levels to 100 Mbps download and 100 Mbps upload, exceeding the state speed goal set for the year 2026.
This project delivers the goal of Border to Border coverage for all residents of the covered counties, benefiting residents, businesses and public entities alike through enhanced access to healthcare services, education options, entertainment and business connectivity not previously possible.
Total eligible project cost is $659,488
Local match is $342,934
Albany Mutual Telephone Association - Two Rivers Area - GRANT $616,743
This last mile project will extend the existing Albany Fiber-to-the-Home network to serve 121 unserved households and home-based businesses in an area northeast of Albany in Stearns County. In a funding partnership with the State of Minnesota, Albany Mutual Telephone Association will improve broadband service levels to exceed the 2022 state goal of 25 Mbps download and 3 Mbps upload. The all-optical network will provide more opportunity for the creation of new businesses, educational advances and access to healthcare services including wearable technology and home monitoring devices.
Total eligible project cost is $1,233,486
Local match is $616,743
Arvig - Pelican Rapids rural non-ACAM - GRANT $633,642
This middle and last mile project will upgrade approximately 546 unserved households and 60 unserved businesses in the Pelican Rapids rural area of Otter Tail County. A funding partnership with the State of Minnesota and Arvig will improve broadband service levels to at least 100 Mbps download and 100 Mbps upload, meeting or exceeding the 2022 and 2026 state speed goals. These investments will improve quality of life and business development opportunities.
Total eligible project cost is $1,624,725
Local match is $991,083
Benton Cooperative Telephone Company - Rice Ramey - GRANT $765,015
The project will serve 250 unserved households and 73 unserved businesses in the area northeast of Rice in Benton and Morrison Counties with improved broadband service levels that meet or exceed the 2026 state goal of 100 Mbps download by 20 Mbps upload. This includes Langola, Graham and sections 5 and 6 of Mayhew Lake Townships, all located in Benton County, and a portion of Buckman Township located in Morrison County. Having this advanced access will improve quality of life in these rural Rice areas, including opening opportunities for business, education, health care, and telecommuting options.
Total eligible project cost is $2,637,985
Local match is $1,872,970
BEVCOMM (Easton Telephone Company) - Delavan SE Rural Project - GRANT $220,350
This last mile project will serve 25 unserved households and 30 unserved businesses in the Delavan SE Rural Project located in Faribault County. In a funding partnership with the State of Minnesota, the Easton Telephone Company will improve broadband service levels to 1 Gbps down and 1 Gbps up, exceeding the 2022 and 2026 state speed goals The Delavan SE Rural Project will promote rural economic development by providing access to broadband to 100% of the households and businesses within the proposed funded service area, transforming this low income area into a highly productive rural community. The use and development of broadband will open up various home-based business options, stimulate economic growth, and encourage innovation and investment. Education, health care, energy efficiency, and public safety will improve with high-speed Internet access.
Total eligible project cost is $565,000
Local match is $344,650
BEVCOMM (Cannon Valley Telephone) - Freeborn Southwest Rural Final - GRANT $122,460
This last mile project will serve 15 unserved households and 17 unserved businesses in the rural Freeborn area, in Freeborn County, completing a Border-to-Border grant build begun there two years ago. In a funding partnership with the State of Minnesota, Cannon Valley Telecom will improve broadband service levels to 1 Gbps down and 1 Gbps up, exceeding the 2022 and 2026 state speed goals. The project will open up opportunities for business development including various home-based business options, stimulating economic growth, innovation and investment. Education, health care, energy efficiency, and public safety will improve with high-speed Internet access.
Total eligible project cost is $314,000
Local match is $191,540
BEVCOMM (Granada Telephone Company) - Granada Rural Final - GRANT: $202,410
This last mile project will serve 35 unserved households and 21 unserved businesses in the rural Granada area located in Martin County, completing a Border-to-Border grant build begun there one year ago. In a funding partnership with the State of Minnesota, Granada Telephone Company will improve broadband service levels to 1 Gbps download and 1 Gbps upload, exceeding the 2022 and 2026 state speed goals. This use and development of broadband will provide various home-based business options, stimulate economic growth, and encourage innovation and investment. Education, health care, energy efficiency, and public safety will improve with high-speed Internet access.
Total eligible project cost is $519,000
Local match is $316,590
Carlton County w/ Frontier - Phase I: Cromwell/Kettle River - GRANT: $569,058
The project will leverage federal CAF II funding available to Frontier Communications combined with State of Minnesota grant dollars to bring enhanced broadband to 298 currently unserved households in the western one-third of Carlton County in northeastern MN, in and around the communities of Cromwell and Kettle River. The project will improve broadband service levels to the 2022 state speed goal of at least 25 Mbps download by 3 Mbps upload. Work, school, and family life will be vastly improved with students being able to do homework at home, along with expanded options for telecommuting and growing or starting businesses that require sufficient bandwidth to be competitive in local and world markets from this remote area.
Total eligible project cost is $1,138,117
Local match is $569,059
CenturyLink - Fish Lake Township FTTH Project - GRANT $1,833,724
This last mile, fiber-to-the-home project will serve 919 unserved households, 7 unserved businesses, and one unserved community anchor institution in Fish Lake Township in rural Chisago County. In a funding partnership leveraging federal (CAF II), state grant and local township funding, CenturyLink will improve broadband service levels to 1 Gbps down and 1 Gbps up, exceeding the 2026 state speed goal. This state-of-the-art advanced broadband network will have a significant positive impact on people in the project area. Consumers will be able to work from home, have better access to education and healthcare, and businesses will be better able to compete locally and globally.
Total eligible project cost is $4,584,310
Local match is $2,750,586
CenturyLink - Fredenberg Township FTTH Project - GRANT $1,809,312
This last mile project will serve 835 unserved households and 17 unserved businesses with fiber-to-the-home in Fredenberg Township near Duluth in St. Louis County. In a funding partnership with the State of Minnesota, CenturyLink will improve broadband service levels to 1 Gbps download and 1 Gbps upload, exceeding the 2022 and 2026 state speed goals in an area that for the most part, can currently obtain no more than 4 Mbps download speed. A state-of-the-art advanced broadband network will have a significant and positive impact on people in the project area. Consumers will be able to work from home, have better access to education and healthcare, and businesses will be better able to compete locally and globally.
Total eligible project cost is $3,618,625
Local match is $ 1,809,313
Farmers Mutual Telephone - City of Watson and SW Lac qui Parle County FTTP - GRANT $760,501
This last mile project will serve 136 unserved households, 15 unserved businesses, and 5 community anchor institutions within the City of Watson and several unserved areas of southwest Lac qui Parle County in western Minnesota. In a funding partnership with the State of Minnesota and the City of Watson, Farmers Mutual Telephone will improve broadband service levels to 1 Gbps down and 1 Gbps up, exceeding the 2026 state speed goal. Broadband infrastructure has been identified as a high priority in the regional strategic plan.
The investments will help support job creation and economic prosperity throughout the region, helping numerous businesses create jobs and be more competitive. New jobs related to farming, home-based business start-ups, and commercial expansions are all possible with improved broadband infrastructure. It will also provide improved accessibility for all residents to health care and education opportunities.
Total eligible project cost is $1,552,043
Local match is $791,542
Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa - Brookston Project - GRANT $258,265
This last mile project will serve up to 108 unserved homes, 8 unserved businesses, and 1 community anchor institution in a project area in the Fond du Lac Indian Reservation in northeastern Minnesota. This area also includes the town of Brookston. A funding partnership with the State of Minnesota and the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa will improve broadband service levels up to 1 Gbps down and 1 Gbps up, exceeding the 2026 state speed goals. It will also add needed additional network redundancy for the Fond du Lac Reservation. The fiber-to-the-home network will open up many opportunities such as telemedicine, Home Health Care, and improved and secure electronic health records; and online education and improved business development and more. All these factors will assist in creating a more vibrant community and region.
Total eligible costs is $538,052
Local match is $279,787
Garden Valley Telephone Company - Bejou - GRANT $1,304,421
This last mile project will serve 214 unserved households, 17 unserved businesses, and 7 unserved community anchor institutions in Bejou and surrounding rural areas within Mahnomen County, including portions of the White Earth Reservation in northwestern Minnesota. In a funding partnership with the State of Minnesota, Garden Valley Telephone will improve broadband service levels to 1 Gbps down and 1 Gbps up, exceeding the 2026 state speed goal. Bejou and White Earth leaders agree that the area is in desperate need of fast reliable Internet service to help the area progress, especially as technology continues to advance around them.
Total eligible cost is $2,608,842
Local match is $1,304,421
Gardonville Cooperative Telephone Association - Douglas County: Country Estates FTTH Project - GRANT $101,624
This last mile project will serve 32 unserved households and 10 unserved businesses in Douglas County near Alexandria. In a funding partnership with the State of Minnesota, Gardonville Cooperative Telephone Association will improve broadband service levels to 1Gbps per second down and 1Gbps up, exceeding the 2026 state speed goal. This project will improve this neighborhood's quality of life, from gaining the ability to perform daily activities such as at-home online homework and telecommuting options, to opening new doors for business development and improved health care.
Total eligible cost is $225,830
Local match is $124,206
Gardonville Cooperative Telephone Association - Douglas County: Pospisil Drive FTTH Project - GRANT $54,155
This last mile project will serve 18 unserved households and 6 unserved businesses in the Pospisil Drive Development near Alexandria in Douglas County. In a funding partnership with the State of Minnesota, Gardonville Cooperative Telephone Association will improve broadband service levels to 1Gbps down and 1Gbps up, exceeding the 2026 state speed goal. This project will continue a build-out begun last year further expanding this neighborhood's quality of life, from gaining the ability to perform daily activities such as at-home online homework and telecommuting options, to opening new doors for business development and improved health care.
Total eligible cost is $120,345
Local match is $66,190
Hanson Communications - Minnewaska Area FTTP - GRANT $4,996,791
This Fiber-to-the-Premise project will serve unserved and underserved locations in Pope County, including: 274 unserved households and 535 unserved businesses; and 468 underserved households and 181 underserved businesses and 11 underserved community institution. In a funding partnership with the State of Minnesota, Hanson Communications will improve broadband service levels to 1Gbps down and 1Gbps up for rural subscribers in the Starbuck Exchange and the Lake Minnewaska Area in west central Minnesota, exceeding the 2026 state speed goal. Hanson worked together with Pope County officials to identify those areas in the rural portions of the county receiving less than sufficient broadband services. The primary customers will be residential customers and traditional family-owned farms, all to be served by reliable, affordable, high quality broadband to improve community and economic development opportunities.
Total eligible cost is $11,460,530
Local match is $6,463,739
Jaguar Communications - Sand Creek Township Area Broadband Project - GRANT $192,405
This last mile project will bring broadband service to 118 unserved households, 18 unserved businesses, and 3 community anchor institutions in the Sand Creek Township area of Scott County by constructing fiber to the premises. In a funding partnership with the State of Minnesota, Jaguar will improve broadband service levels up to 1 Gbps down and 1 Gbps up, exceeding the 2026 state speed goal. Jaguar's project will connect residents and businesses to a redundant, stable, substantial fiber optic ring, creating pathways to fully participate in today's digital society and economy.
The total eligible cost is $493,346
Local match is $300,941
KMTelecom - Rural Kasson Fiber Build - GRANT $606,108
This last mile project will serve 149 unserved households and 9 unserved businesses in the rural Canisteo and Ashland Townships located south of Kasson in Dodge County in southeastern Minnesota. In a funding partnership with the State of Minnesota, KMTelecom will improve broadband service levels to 1 Gbps down and 1 Gbps up, exceeding the 2026 state speed goal. Currently the City of Kasson has an all-fiber network. This rural Kasson Fiber Build is an extension of these broadband speeds to rural Kasson, bringing access to education, healthcare and work. The network will also assist area farms by increasing productivity through access to digital technologies for agricultural production and agribusiness.
Total eligible cost is $1,554,124
Local match is $948,016
Mediacom Minnesota LLC - Fountain 2018 Broadband Build - GRANT $202,125
In a funding partnership with the State of Minnesota, Mediacom will leverage its existing hybrid fiber and coaxial network in the City of Fountain in Fillmore County in southeastern Minnesota, to increase and extend advanced broadband to 161 unserved households and 20 unserved businesses, exceeding the 2022 state speed goal of 25 Mbps down and 3 Mbps up. The project will unlock opportunities for distance learning, telemedicine, and telecommuting and other increased business development.
Total eligible cost is $421,094
Local match is $218,969
Mediacom Minnesota LLC - Medina 2018 Broadband Build - GRANT $62,219
In a funding partnership with the State of Minnesota, Mediacom will leverage its existing hybrid fiber and coaxial network in the City of Medina in Hennepin County, to increase and extend advanced broadband to 22 underserved households and 12 underserved businesses, exceeding the 2022 state speed goal of 25 Mbps down and 3 Mbps up. The project will unlock opportunities for distance learning, telemedicine, telecommuting and other increased business development.
Total eligible cost is $159,535
Local match is $97,316
Midco (Midcontinent Communications) - Annandale East - GRANT $537,050
This project will build out improved broadband service to 40 unserved households, and 531 underserved households and 7 underserved businesses, in the area northeast of Annandale near Bass Lake and Clearwater Lake in Wright County in east central MN. In a funding partnership with the State of Minnesota, Midco will improve broadband service levels to up to 1 Gbps upload and download, exceeding the 2026 state speed goal. Residents will be able to increase work and business development opportunities, and complete a quality education online through this extension from the broadband system Midco recently built in Annandale.
Total eligible cost is $1,074,100
Local match is $537,050
Midco (Midcontinent Communications) - Wanamingo - GRANT $768,600
This project will build out improved broadband infrastructure to 597 currently unserved households, 76 unserved businesses, and 4 unserved community institutions in the City of Wanamingo in Goodhue County in southeastern Minnesota. In a funding partnership with the State of Minnesota, Midco will build middle mile fiber from Randolph to Wanamingo and upgrade its existing last-mile infrastructure in Wanamingo, improving broadband service levels up to 1 Gbps up and down. This build will connect Wanamingo to Midco's state of the art network, allowing customers access to a wide range of services that can improve work and business opportunities, health care access, and education access.
Total eligible cost is $1,537,200
Local match is $768,600
MVTC (Minnesota Valley Telephone Company, Inc.) - Milroy Broadband Project - GRANT $742,365
This last mile project will serve 246 unserved households and 22 unserved businesses in the Milroy Broadband Project located in both Redwood and Lyon Counties in southwestern MN. In a funding partnership with the State of Minnesota, the Minnesota Valley Telephone Company, Inc. will improve broadband service levels to 1 Gbps down and 1 Gbps up, exceeding the 2026 state speed goal. The broadband investments will promote rural economic development and transform through increased opportunity for home-based business options, education, health care, energy efficiency, and public safety.
Total eligible cost is $1,903,500
Local match is $1,161,135
New Ulm Telecom, Inc.- Hanska A&D FTTP - GRANT $324,894
This last mile project will serve 9 unserved households and 38 unserved businesses in the Hanska area south of New Ulm near the border of Brown and Watonwan Counties. In a funding partnership with the State of Minnesota, New Ulm Telecom, Inc. will improve broadband service levels to 1 Gbps download and 1 Gbps upload, exceeding the 2026 state speed goal. This Fiber-to-the-Premises network will provide reliable, affordable, high quality broadband to rural farms, businesses, and homes. Broadband access will enable these businesses and residences to use new technology and tools to grow and enhance their business and community, including increased access to health care and education.
Total eligible cost is $721,988
Local match is $397,094
New Ulm Telecom, Inc. - White Rock Rural East FTTP - GRANT $411,704
This last mile project will serve 22 unserved households and 88 unserved businesses in the White Rock area in the northern half of Goodhue County in southeastern Minnesota. In a funding partnership with the State of Minnesota, New Ulm Telecom, Inc. will improve broadband service levels to 1 Gbps download and 1 Gbps upload, exceeding the 2026 state speed goal. This Fiber-to-the-Premises network will provide reliable, affordable, high quality broadband to rural farms, businesses, and homes. Broadband access will enable these businesses and residences to utilize new technology and tools to grow and enhance their business and community, including increased access to health care and education.
Total eligible cost is $914,898
Local match is $503,194
Otter Tail Telcom LLC - Red Oak Drive - GRANT $173,683
This last mile project will serve underserved and unserved residents and businesses north of the city of Fergus Falls in Otter Tail County in west central MN. This includes 7 unserved households and 2 unserved businesses, and 29 underserved households and 2 underserved businesses. In a funding partnership with the State of Minnesota, Otter Tail Telcom, LLC, will construct a fiber network initially provisioned to provide improved broadband service levels to 25/3 Mbps, meeting the state's 2022 speed goal, and will be immediately capable of meeting and exceeding the 2026 speed goal. Beyond the benefit of providing in-home access to educational resources across all learning levels and the growing adoption of telemedicine services by rural residents, these broadband investments provide families the ability to take advantage of Smart Grid and home automation technologies, shaving dollars off utility bills, contributing to a healthy environment, and adding the convenience of home network management. Self-employed individuals, contractors and business people will gain the ability to operate a virtual office. Another often overlooked benefit is improved public safety through the use of IPAWS (Integrated Public Alert Warning System) broadband compliant devices.
Total eligible cost is $347,366
Local match is $173,683
Palmer Wireless - Duelm Hwy 95 - GRANT $162,814
This last mile project will serve 60 unserved households and 21 unserved businesses near the town of Duelm in southern Benton County, using Fiber to the Home technology capable of delivering 1 Gbps speeds up and down. In a funding partnership with the State of Minnesota, Palmer Wireless will upgrade its wireless customers, and improve broadband service levels for others along the route, through a fiber network capable of meeting and exceeding the 2026 state speed goal.
The Benton Economic Partnership and Region 7W's Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy identified broadband access as a fundamental infrastructure to attract and retain businesses, and enhance general quality of life. These broadband investments will help make the region a better place in which to live and to work.
Total eligible cost is $361,809
Local match is $198,995
Palmer Wireless - Sherburne County Road 3 - GRANT $110,661
This last mile Fiber to the Premise project will serve 20 unserved households and 10 unserved businesses, and one underserved community institution in Sherburne County in an area near the St. Cloud Airport with speeds of 1 Gbps download and 500 Mbps upload, which exceed the state 2026 speed goal. In a funding partnership with the State of Minnesota and Sherburne County, Palmer Wireless will make improve broadband service levels to this residential and farming area adjacent to the St. Cloud metro area, business industrial parks and the St. Cloud Airport. This builds on Palmer Wireless's partnership with Sherburne County to make broadband available to communities in which the county has proactively installed conduit and vaults along County Road 3, in conjunction with a highway improvement project.
Total eligible cost is $245,914
Local match is $135,253
Paul Bunyan Communications - North Central Fiber - GRANT $802,620
This last mile project will serve unserved and underserved areas near the communities of Park Rapids, Bigfork, and Side Lake, MN, to locations in St. Louis, Itasca, and Hubbard Counties in northern Minnesota. This includes 657 unserved households, 29 unserved businesses, and 5 unserved community institutions, and 130 underserved households, 13 underserved businesses, and 1 underserved community institution. In a funding partnership with the State of Minnesota, Paul Bunyan will build fiber-to-the-premise that will bring gigabit service to all of these locations, greatly exceeding the 2026 state and current federal speed goals. This project will improve the economic vitality of the region and bring advanced technology to areas that would likely not see state-of-the-art services without opportunities such as the Border-to-Border Broadband grant.
Total eligible cost is $1,783,600
Local match is $980,980
SCI (Savage Communications Inc.) - Dell Grove Township Broadband Expansion - GRANT $118,248
This last mile project will serve 170 unserved households, 3 unserved businesses, and 1 community anchor institution near and around Grindstone Lake located within Dell Grove Township, Pine County. In a funding partnership with the State of Minnesota, SCI Broadband will improve broadband service levels to 250 Mbps down and 20 Mbps up, meeting and exceeding the 2026 state speed goal. SCI will leverage its existing middle mile infrastructure to deploy a last mile fiber to the premise network to local businesses and residents. Building the fiber to the premise network will improve access to education, telemedicine, telecommuting and economic development as a whole within the region.
Total eligible cost is $236,496
Local match is $118,248
SCI (Savage Communications Inc.) - Shamrock Township Broadband Expansion - GRANT $148,503
This last mile project will serve 374 unserved households near and around the Big Sandy Lake area in Aitkin County. In a funding partnership with the State of Minnesota, SCI Broadband will improve broadband service levels to 250 Mbps down and 20 Mbps up, meeting and exceeding the 2026 state speed goal. SCI will leverage its existing middle mile infrastructure to deploy a last mile fiber to the premise network to local businesses and residents. Building the fiber to the premise network will improve access to education, telemedicine, telecommuting and economic development as a whole within the region.
Total eligible cost is $297,006
Local match is $148,503
Sjoberg's Inc. - NW MN Rural Broadband - GRANT $307,088
This last mile project will serve 98 unserved households, 10 unserved businesses, and 3 community anchor institutions in a large area west of Thief River Falls in Pennington County in northwestern Minnesota. In a funding partnership with the State of Minnesota, Sjoberg's Inc. will improve broadband service levels to 1 Gbps down and up. This project will leverage investments made by Sjoberg's and by ARRA/RUS grant/loan programs from earlier years and will finish out earlier state broadband grant projects, to complete Norden Township and a substantial portion of the unserved areas of Sanders and Rocksbury Townships. It will also support plans by DigiKey in Thief River Falls to add 1000 new employees. These employees are going to be knowledge workers, who will need access to advanced in-home broadband services for their jobs and for general quality of life in remote NW Minnesota.
Total eligible cost is $614,176
Local match is $307,088
WCTA (West Central Telephone Association) - Northern Todd County - GRANT $902,695
This last mile project will serve 209 unserved households and 6 unserved businesses within portions of Staples Township and Villard Township in Todd County. In a funding partnership with the State of Minnesota and several regional development organizations, WCTA will improve broadband service levels to 1 Gbps down and 1 Gbps up, exceeding the 2026 state speed goal. Building a fiber to the home network capable of Gigabit broadband service will finally provide residents and business owners the reliable connectivity they have asked for and need. Students and instructors will be able to complete their work from home; healthcare professionals will have access to medical records and the ability to provide telehealth services; and businesses and farmers will have access to applications and online tools to boost their efficiency.
Total eligible cost is $1,805,390
Local match is $902,695
WCTA (West Central Telephone Association) - Wadena Rural Phase III - GRANT $874,581
This last mile project will serve 189 unserved households and 13 unserved businesses within Compton Township in Otter Tail County as well as portions of Wadena Township in Wadena County and in Stowe Prairie Township in Todd County. In a funding partnership with the State of Minnesota and several regional development organizations, West Central Telephone Association will improve broadband service levels to 1 Gbps down and up, exceeding the 2026 state speed goal. Building a fiber to the home network capable of Gigabit broadband service will finally provide residents and businesses with the reliable connectivity they have asked for and need. Students and instructors will be able to complete their work from home; healthcare professionals will have access to medical records and the ability to provide telehealth services; and businesses and farmers will have access to applications and online tools to boost their efficiency.
Total eligible cost is $1,822,044
Local match is $947,463
Wikstrom Telephone - Wiktel NW MN Broadband - GRANT $1,307,785
This project will serve rural sparsely populated areas in Kittson, Marshall, and Roseau counties in far northwestern Minnesota, passing 300 unserved homes and 31 unserved business locations. In a funding partnership with the State of Minnesota, Wikstrom will improve broadband services levels to 1 Gbps down and up, exceeding the 2026 state speed goal, on a fiber optic network, and in some locations will extend the service from routes built via the 2016 Border to Border State Grant program. The broadband improvements will foster opportunities in economic development, successful education services for children and adults alike, and allow for critical home health care monitoring in this remote area.
Total eligible costs is $2,906,189
Local match of $1,598,404
Winthrop Telephone Company, Inc. - Cornish Township FTTP Project - GRANT $365,895
This last mile project will serve 58 unserved households and 2 unserved businesses in Cornish Township located in Sibley County in south central Minnesota. In a funding partnership with the State of Minnesota, Winthrop Telephone Company, Inc. will improve broadband service levels to 1 Gbps down and 1 Gbps up, exceeding the 2026 state speed goal. The 60 locations are primarily agricultural-related sites, which given the size and technical sophistication of these operations, need advanced broadband to remain vital and competitive.
Total eligible costs is $813,100
Local match of $447,205
Woodstock Telephone Company - Balaton FTTP - GRANT $413,009
This last mile project will serve 305 underserved households, 28 underserved businesses, and 6 underserved community anchor institutions in the city of Balaton in Lyon County in southwestern Minnesota. In a funding partnership with the State of Minnesota, Woodstock will improve broadband service levels to 1 Gbps down and 1 Gbps up, exceeding the 2026 state speed goal. Woodstock has received many requests for service in the City of Balaton and is already providing service to a few businesses. Building a Fiber to the Premise network will improve access to education and healthcare services. It will also increase employment as businesses leverage this new network and telecommuting opportunities become accessible, strengthening and expanding rural community and economic vitality.
Total project cost is $1,424,169
Local match is $1,011,160
Woodstock Telephone Company - Pipestone County Wireless - GRANT $363,851
This middle mile project expands the reach of fixed wireless service to serve 135 unserved households, 540 unserved businesses, and 1 unserved community anchor institution in rural Pipestone County in southwestern Minnesota. In a funding partnership with the State of Minnesota, Woodstock will improve unserved levels to a minimum of 25Mbps download and 3Mbps upload with higher speeds of 75Mbps/25Mbps and above where available. These speeds exceed the 2022 state speed goal. Woodstock has received many requests for service in the county and is already providing service to locations where they have existing fiber and wireless infrastructure available. Building a reliable high speed fixed wireless network with fiber backhaul will improve access to education and healthcare services and increase employment opportunities as businesses leverage this new network, strengthening and expanding rural community and economic vitality.
Total project cost is $727,703
Local match is $363,852
2016 Broadband Grant Recipients - Round 3
Recipients
AcenTek Rural Lanesboro Fiber Build – Grant: $1,777,936
This last mile project will serve 431 unserved households, 42 unserved businesses, and 1 community anchor institution in the rural Lanesboro area, including Whalan, Carrolton Township, and Holt Township. In a funding partnership with the State of Minnesota and Fillmore County, AcenTek will improve service to 1 Gigabit up and down, exceeding the 2026 state speed goal. The project directly affects 22 physical business buildings and provides telecommuting opportunities for employees of Rochester-based Mayo Clinic and IBM who live in the Lanesboro area, reducing 45-minute commutes to zero-minute commutes. This project has several non-financial partners, including Tri-County Electric and surrounding townships.
Total eligible project cost is $4,678,780.
Local match is $2,900,844.
Albany Mutual Telephone Association Big Watab Lake – Grant: $726,185
This last mile project will serve 242 unserved households near and around Big Watab Lake in Stearns County, MN. In a funding partnership with the State of Minnesota, Albany Mutual will improve service levels to 1 Gbps, surpassing the 2026 state speed goal. Many families work in and around the St. Cloud area and need high speed broadband service for school and work. Albany Mutual will leverage its existing network infrastructure to build out to this area.
Total eligible project cost is $1,452,370.
Local match is $726,185.
Arvig - Redwood County Telephone Middle Mile Fiber Extension – Grant: $27,998
This middle mile project will serve 15 unserved households and 20 unserved businesses near Morgan, MN, in an area southeast of Redwood Falls. In a funding partnership with the State of Minnesota, Arvig – Redwood Telephone will improve service levels to 25 Mbps down and 3 Mbps up, meeting the 2022 state speed goal. This is a rural farm area, home to Minnesota's annual FarmFest, and relies on quality broadband service for precision agriculture applications and to monitor crops and livestock.
Total eligible project cost is $62,218.
Local match is $34,220.
Benton Cooperative Telephone Company Bock – Grant: $510,000
This last mile project will serve 337 unserved households, 37 unserved businesses and 1 community anchor institution in the city of Bock and portions of Hayland and Borgholm Townships in Mille Lacs County and a portion of South Fork Township in Kanabec County. In a funding partnership with the State of Minnesota, Benton Cooperative will improve unserved levels to 100 Mbps download and 20 Mbps upload, reaching the 2026 state speed goal, increasing opportunities for educational access for all ages, telemedicine, telecommuting, and improved business development.
Total eligible project cost is $1,760,897.
Local match is $1,250,897.
Benton Cooperative Telephone Company Buckman – Grant: $276,230
This last mile project will serve 130 unserved households, 17 unserved businesses and 1 community anchor institution in the city of Buckman and sections of Buckman and Morrill Townships in Morrison County in central Minnesota. In a funding partnership with the State of Minnesota, Benton Cooperative will improve unserved levels to 100 Mbps download and 20 Mbps upload, reaching the 2026 state speed goal, increasing opportunities for educational access for all ages, telemedicine, telecommuting, and assisting the Morrison County Economic Development to enhance opportunities for existing businesses and those with an interest in locating to the area.
Total eligible project cost is $708,287.
Local match is $432,057.
Benton Cooperative Telephone Company Ramey – Grant: $225,100
This last mile project will serve 122 unserved households and 5 unserved businesses in the rural Ramey, MN exchange. In a funding partnership with the State of Minnesota, Benton Cooperative will improve unserved levels to 100 Mbps download and 20 Mbps upload, reaching the 2026 state speed goal, increasing opportunities for educational access for all ages, telemedicine, telecommuting, and improved business development.
Total eligible project cost is $776,220.
Local match is $551,120.
Blue Earth Valley Telephone Co. (dba BEVCOMM) Rural Winnebago - Grant: $152,828
This last mile project will serve 18 unserved households (including farms), 8 unserved businesses, 2 underserved households, and 3 underserved businesses in the rural Winnebago area in Faribault County in Southern Minnesota. In a funding partnership with the State of Minnesota, Blue Earth Valley Telephone will improve unserved and underserved levels to 1 Gigabit per second up and down, exceeding the 2026 state speed goal. Broadband is the backbone for newer tools farmers use today. Rural Winnebago is home to livestock and grain agricultural production. Better broadband access provides greater outputs at a lower cost, including soil mapping, GPS systems for precision farming, irrigation and grain bin monitoring, livestock feed and environment monitoring, security, video surveillance, and energy management.
Total eligible project cost is $382,070.
Local match is $229,242.
Cannon Valley Telecom, Inc. (dba BEVCOMM) Rural Freeborn – Grant: $150,700
This last mile project will serve 10 unserved households, 6 unserved businesses, 9 underserved households, and 6 underserved businesses in the rural Freeborn area in Freeborn County in Southern Minnesota. In a funding partnership with the State of Minnesota, Cannon Valley Telecom will improve unserved and underserved levels to 1 Gigabit per second up and down, exceeding the 2026 state speed goal. The economic engine of the proposed grant area is agriculture. Building a fiber-to-the-premise network to the farms and residences of the proposed grant area enables access to applications and tools to make their operations more efficient and enhance crop production. It will also improve access to health care and education, all factors supporting a robust local economy that is globally competitive, too.
Total eligible project cost is $376,750.
Local match is $226,050.
CenturyLink Thief River Middle Mile – Grant: $1,324,400
This middle mile project will serve 491 unserved households and 118 unserved businesses in a 71.4 mile fiber build from Thief River to Roseau in Northern Minnesota. In a funding partnership with the State of Minnesota and CAFII federal funding, CenturyLink will improve unserved levels to meet the 2022 state speed goal of 25 Mbps download by 3 Mbps upload in CenturyLink's Baudette, Roseau and Warroad exchanges. The higher capacity broadband will help improve business development opportunities in the area, and increase access to education and health care.
Total eligible project cost is $2,648,800.
Local match is $1,324,400.
Eckles Telephone Company (dba BEVCOMM) Rural Heidelberg – Grant: $188,000
This last mile project will serve 51 unserved households, 7 unserved businesses, 40 underserved households, and 4 underserved businesses in the rural Heidelberg area in Le Sueur County in Southern Minnesota. In a funding partnership with the State of Minnesota, Eckles Telephone Company will improve unserved and underserved levels to 1 Gigabit per second up and down, exceeding the 2026 state speed goal. The economic engine of the proposed grant area is agriculture. Building a fiber-to-the-premise network will enable these farmers to access applications and tools to make their operation more efficient and enhance crop production. It will also improve access to health care and education, all factors supporting a robust local economy that is globally competitive, too.
Total eligible project cost is $470,000.
Local match is $282,000.
Frontier Kandiyohi Initiative – Grant: $1,015,275
This last mile project will serve 1147 unserved households, 7 unserved businesses, and 7 unserved community anchor institutions in rural areas within Kandiyohi County, including the Atwater, Kandiyohi, Svea, Prinsburg, Raymond, and Lake Lillian exchanges. In a funding partnership with the State of Minnesota, Frontier will improve service levels to a minimum of 25 Mbps down and 3 Mbps up, meeting the 2022 state speed goal. For the businesses located in the project area, increased broadband speeds will improve work-life balance for employees, provide greater opportunities to grow and expand their customer base via increased productivity, and increase profit margins through better efficiency.
Total eligible project cost is $2,030,550.
Local match is $1,015,275.
Garden Valley Telephone Company Rural Thief River Falls East – Grant: $2,027,035
This middle and last mile project will serve 330 unserved households, 23 unserved businesses, and 2 community anchor institutions in rural Thief River Falls in northwestern Minnesota. In a funding partnership with the State of Minnesota, Garden Valley Telephone will improve unserved levels to 1 Gigabit per second up and down, exceeding the 2026 state speed goal. Over 100 residents and businesses in Pennington and Marshall Counties submitted petitions nearly a year in advance to support Garden Valley's B2B broadband grant application. They made both an economic and community vitality case, including the fact that two large Thief River Falls-based companies -- DigiKey and Arctic Cat -- struggle to find employees and spend considerable resources advertising for them. Broadband is essential to economic prosperity in rural communities. It enables employees to work from home when applicable and provides their children improved access to homework and educational resources.
Total eligible project cost is $4,222,990.
Local match is $2,195,955.
Gardonville Cooperative Telephone Douglas County Lake Louise – Grant: $68,240
This last mile project will serve 28 unserved households and 7 unserved businesses in Douglas County near and around Lake Louise. In a funding partnership with the State of Minnesota, Gardonville Cooperative Telephone Association will improve unserved levels to 1 Gigabit per second up and down, exceeding the 2026 state speed goal. With high-tech training provided by Alexandria Technical College, and major employers such as Douglas Scientific, Alexandria Industries, and Tastefully Simple, Douglas County is poised for growth. The lack of adequate broadband has been an obstacle in business development. Gigabit broadband will help to attract new residents and employees to the area, and enable current residents to more effectively run their home-based businesses and work from home. All residents will be able to tap into the power of the internet to continually self-improve and learn.
Total eligible project cost is $153,348.
Local match is $85,108.
Granada Telephone Company (dba BEVCOMM) South Rural Granada – Grant: $157,920
This last mile project will serve 26 unserved households and 14 unserved businesses in the rural Granada area in Martin County in Southern Minnesota. In a funding partnership with the State of Minnesota, Granada Telephone Company will improve unserved and underserved levels to 1 Gigabit per second up and down, exceeding the 2026 state speed goal. The economic engine of the proposed grant area is agriculture. Building a fiber-to-the-premise network that provides advanced broadband services to farms and residences in the proposed grant area improves access to applications and tools to make operations more efficient and enhances crop production. It will also improve access to health care and education, all factors supporting a robust local economy that is globally competitive, too.
Total eligible project cost is $394,800.
Local match is $236,880.
Halstad Telephone Company Kertsonville Area - Grant: $296,665
This middle and last mile project will serve 51 unserved households in Kertsonville and Onstad Townships in Polk County in northwestern Minnesota. In a funding partnership with the State of Minnesota, Halstad Telephone Company will improve unserved levels to 1 Gigabit per second up and down, exceeding the 2026 state speed goal. Small communities and farms in the area have changed drastically over the last decade. Farm operations now rely on and expect high-speed access to ensure they remain competitive in a high-speed global economy. Due to the very rural nature of this area and the distance required to travel to find employment, many residents have become self-employed. In Onstad Township, 30% of residents are self-employed, followed by 29.5% of residents in Kertsonville Township, nearly three times the United States national average of 10.9%. Residents use home offices to buy products, sell commodities, and do the majority of their business online. With advanced broadband access they can diversify beyond the limitations of the rural landscape and the often complicated weather challenges.
Total eligible project cost is $593,330.
Local match is $296,665.
KMTelecom Rural Mantorville – Grant: $764,663
This last mile project will serve 195 unserved households, 9 unserved businesses, and 1 unserved community anchor institution near Mantorville in east central Dodge County, with a small section of west central Olmsted County, in southeastern Minnesota. In a funding partnership with the State of Minnesota, KMTelecom will improve unserved levels to 1 Gigabit per second up and down, exceeding the 2026 state speed goal. With broadband access to the Kasson-Mantorville school system, the Minnesota higher education system, the healthcare systems, and improved ability to compete in the business development arena, KMTelecom's subscribers will all share an enhanced quality of life.
Total eligible project cost is $1,960,674.
Local match is $1,196,011.
Lismore Cooperative Telephone Company Nobles County Broadband – Grant: $2,944,578
This middle and last mile fiber and wireless hybrid project will serve 469 unserved households, 1060 unserved businesses, and 6 unserved community anchor institutions across Nobles County. In a funding partnership with the State of Minnesota, along with community support from Nobles County and Nobles Economic Opportunity Network, Lismore Cooperative will improve unserved levels in the county to 25 Mbps download by 3 Mbps upload via a fixed wireless solution for nearly 1,000 passings, and fiber to obtain gigabit levels for close to 500 passings. Long-term, revenue from the hybrid project will fund fiber builds throughout the entire county, future-proofing a key economic development infrastructure and allowing enhanced access to healthcare, education, and employment via telecommuting.
Total eligible project cost is $5,889,156.
Local match is $2,944,578.
Martin County (with Frontier) Rural Broadband Initiative – Grant: $1,677,823
This last mile project will serve 1784 unserved households, 51 unserved businesses, and 9 unserved community institutions across Martin County in south central Minnesota. In a funding partnership with the State of Minnesota, Martin County and Frontier Communications, the project will leverage federal CAFII funds and Frontier's existing hybrid fiber & coaxial network to improve unserved levels to a minimum of 25 Mbps download by 3 Mbps upload, reaching the 2022 state speed goal. Some areas will reach 100 Mbps by 20 Mbps, the 2026 state speed goal. Community leaders worked together to organize and fund a feasibility study for the project which showed a strong need for improved broadband. Without advanced broadband, future economic development would be impossible and current businesses would not be able to compete.
Total eligible project cost is $3,355,646.
Local match is $1,677,823.
Mediacom Fayal Township – Grant: $263,345
This last mile project will serve 167 unserved households, 3 unserved businesses, and 92 underserved households in Fayal Township, south of Eveleth in St. Louis County in northeastern MN. In a funding partnership with the State of Minnesota, Mediacom Minnesota LLC will improve unserved and underserved levels to 100 Mbps download by 20 Mbps upload, reaching the 2026 state speed goal. The Township and Mediacom partnered to identify areas in which broadband access should be made available, led by residents' desire to improve their quality of life through broadband expansion.
Total eligible project cost is $675,243.
Local match is $411,898.
Mediacom Harris Township – Grant: $224,369
This last mile project will serve 262 unserved households and 6 unserved businesses in Harris Township in Itasca County. In a funding partnership with the State of Minnesota, Mediacom Minnesota LLC will leverage its existing hybrid fiber & coaxial network to improve unserved levels to 100 Mbps download by 20 Mbps upload, reaching the 2026 state speed goal. These improvements will support business development, health care and educational opportunities in the area, including enabling telecommuting to jobs and businesses outside the project area.
Total eligible project cost is $773,686.
Local match is $549,317.
Midco Canby to Marshall Middle Mile and Last Mile in Porter-Taunton-Minneota-Ghent – Grant: $623,000
This middle and last mile project will serve 1029 unserved households, 29 unserved businesses, and 11 unserved community institutions in and around the towns of Porter, Taunton, Minneota, Ghent, and Canby, between Canby and Marshall in Yellow Medicine and Lyon Counties in southwestern Minnesota. It will also serve several Minnesota businesses served by third parties leasing the Midcontinent Communications (Midco) network in this area. In a funding partnership with the State of Minnesota, Midco will improve service levels in the project area to 200 Mbps down by 20 Mbps up, meeting the 2026 state speed goals. One hundred percent of the homes and businesses in those communities will have access to improved broadband, significantly improving quality of life for local residents and the economic vitality of the region.
Total eligible project costs are $1,599,000.
Local match is $976,000.
Mille Lacs Energy Cooperative FTTP Project - Grant: $1,757,640
This last mile project will serve 763 unserved households, 2 unserved businesses, 2 unserved community anchor institutions and 31 underserved households and 2 underserved businesses in Aitkin County in north central Minnesota. In a funding partnership with the State of Minnesota, MLEC and Consolidated Telecommunications Company (CTC) will improve service levels in the project area to Gigabit speeds via fiber-to-the-home, exceeding 2026 state speed goals and bringing vital communications to Aitkin and Mille Lacs Counties. The initial project phase is located entirely within Aitkin County, the most unserved of all of Minnesota's 87 counties. CTC and MLEC are both cooperatives, following the 6th cooperative principle: Cooperation amongst cooperatives. This unique partnership will build a robust, future-proof network that helps provide new business solutions, along with enhanced employment, health care, and educational experiences.
Total eligible project cost is $3,515,280.
Local match is $1,757,640.
New Ulm Telecom, Inc. Goodhue-Bellechester - Grant: $332,328
This last mile project will serve 15 unserved households, 46 unserved businesses and 25 underserved households, 43 underserved businesses, and 1 underserved community anchor institution in the city limits and surrounding area of Bellechester in Goodhue County in southeastern MN. In a funding partnership with the State of Minnesota, New Ulm Telephone will improve service levels in the project area to Gigabit speeds via fiber-to-the-home, exceeding 2026 state speed goals. Nearly all of the passings in this project area are farms or home-based businesses. Other businesses that will benefit include the USDA office, Ag Partners, Goodhue school system, and several banking institutions and insurance companies that interface with customers through online tools. The area also hosts many residents who will now be able to telecommute for Mayo Clinic and IBM in Rochester, MN. Since this project area is over 30 miles from Rochester, telecommuting will save significant costs on gas for and use of vehicles, and road safety and travel time.
Total eligible project cost is $738,507.
Local match is $406,179.
New Ulm Telecom, Inc. Hanska - Grant: $200,397
This last mile project will serve 14 unserved households and 32 unserved businesses in Lake Hanska Township in Brown County and Riverdale Township in Watonwan County. In a funding partnership with the State of Minnesota, New Ulm Telephone will improve unserved levels in the project area to Gigabit speeds via fiber-to-the-home, exceeding 2026 state speed goals. Nearly all the passings in this project area are farms or home-based businesses. It is prime area for rural/home-based businesses and farming. Access to high speed broadband can help many of these smaller operations remain in business into the future and open the doors to expansion.
Total eligible project cost is $445,326.
Local match is $244,929.
New Ulm Telecom, Inc. Mazeppa - Grant: $317,761
This last mile project will serve 87 unserved households, 11 unserved businesses and 66 underserved households in Mazeppa Township in Wabasha County, MN. In a funding partnership with the State of Minnesota, New Ulm Telephone will improve service levels to Gigabit speeds via fiber-to-the-premise, exceeding 2026 state speed goals. Nearly all of the passings in this project area are farms or home-based businesses. Other businesses that will benefit include the USDA office, Ag Partners, Mazeppa school system, and several banking institutions and insurance companies that interface with customers through online tools. The area also hosts many residents who will now be able to telecommute for Mayo Clinic and Fairview.
Total eligible project cost is $706,135.
Local match is $388,374.
Otter Tail Telcom Battle Lake - Grant: $238,170
This last mile project will serve 62 unserved households in the Clitherall and Battle Lake areas in Ottertail County in northwest central MN. In a funding partnership with the State of Minnesota, Otter Tail Telecom will improve unserved levels in the project area to at least 25 Mbps download and 3 Mbps upload to meet the 2022 state speed goal. The build will enable telecommuting opportunities for workers, encourage existing residents to consider new business initiatives, and serve as a magnet for attracting new businesses to the area.
Total eligible project cost is $476,340.
Local match is $238,170.
Otter Tail Telcom Fergus Falls Area - Grant: $279,271
This last mile project will serve 79 unserved households near Elizabeth, MN, and in rural Fergus Falls in Ottertail County, MN. In a funding partnership with the State of Minnesota, Otter Tail Telecom will improve unserved levels in the project area to at least 25 Mbps download and 3 Mbps upload to meet the 2022 state speed goals. It will enable telecommuting opportunities for workers, encourage existing residents to consider new business initiatives, and will serve as a magnet for attracting new businesses to the area.
Total eligible project cost is $558,542.
Local match is $279,271.
Palmer Wireless Big Lake Industrial Park - Grant: $90,988
This last mile project will serve 17 underserved businesses and 1 underserved community anchor institution in the Big Lake, MN, industrial park on the east edge of town, adjacent to US Hwy 10. In a funding partnership with the State of Minnesota and Big Lake, Palmer Wireless will improve unserved levels in the project area to 1 Gigabit service, exceeding the 2026 state speed goal of 100 Mbps by 20 Mbps. The project will bring fiber-to-the-premise technology to the businesses, seeking to replicate the success of the 2014 Border-to-Border broadband grant project with the Becker Industrial Park, to make a positive impact on the economic health of Big Lake and the businesses in the park.
Total eligible project cost is $211,600.
Local match is $120,612.
Palmer Wireless Del Tone Road and St. Cloud Airport - Grant: $179,400
This last mile project will serve 14 unserved businesses and 1 unserved community anchor institution on the east side of St. Cloud, MN. In a funding partnership with the State of Minnesota and Sherburne County, Palmer Wireless will improve unserved levels in the project area to 1 Gigabit service, exceeding the 2026 state speed goal of 100 Mbps by 20 Mbps. The Del Tone Road, St. Cloud airport, and Hwy 10 fiber project will build fiber-to-the-premise technology to the businesses locations, leveraging the current Palmer network and other network partner assets to bring a cost effective solution to this unserved area. The resulting improvements will upgrade business connectivity in the Hwy 10 corridor, increasing business development opportunities and customer access.
Total eligible project cost is $460,000.
Local match is $280,600.
Paul Bunyan Communications Hubbard, Becker & Itasca Counties - Grant: $1,742,232
This last mile project will serve 785 unserved households, 26 unserved businesses, 2 unserved community anchor institutions and 143 underserved households and 2 underserved businesses in a multi-county region in north central Minnesota. In a funding partnership with the State of Minnesota and Itasca County, Paul Bunyan will improve service levels in the project area to 1 Gigabit service, exceeding the 2026 state speed goal of 100 Mbps by 20 Mbps. The proposed project area includes rural portions of Itasca, Hubbard, and Becker counties. Combined, these areas are home to an estimated 2,750 people and nearly 50 small businesses. Businesses include restaurants, resorts, retailers, professional service providers, home-based ventures, and construction and landscape companies. For owners and employees alike, these businesses represent an economic engine and make possible a rural way of life. To be competitive, expand markets, ensure long-term viability, and increase employment, small businesses require access to high-speed broadband meeting or exceeding the state's broadband goals. This project will provide these businesses, households, and community institutions with that level playing field.
Total eligible project cost is $3,904,083.
Local match is $2,161,851.
Renville County HBC & RS Fiber - Grant: $807,966
This last mile project will serve 193 unserved households, 99 unserved businesses, and 3 community anchor institutions in portions of Preston Lake, Boon Lake, Brookfield, Osceola, Kingman, Winfield, Crooks, Erickson, Sacred Heart (North), Emmet, Flora, Henryville, Norfolk, Birch Cooley, Camp, and Cairo Townships in Renville County, MN. In a funding partnership with the State of Minnesota and Renville County, Hiawatha Broadband Communications (HBC), and RS Fiber will improve unserved levels in the project area to 1 Gigabit service, exceeding the 2026 state speed goal of 100 Mbps by 20 Mbps. For Renville County, fast broadband is as essential to its communities as quality roads, schools, hospitals and electricity, stimulating business and population growth.
Total eligible project cost is $2,071,709.
Local match is $1,263,743.
Runestone Telephone Holmes City 2 - Grant: $700,674
This last mile project will serve 267 unserved households and 32 unserved businesses in the Holmes City area in Douglas County in northwest central MN. In a funding partnership with the State of Minnesota, Runestone will build on its 2015 broadband grant project to expand further into the Holmes City area with 1 Gigabit service, exceeding the 2026 state speed goal of 100 Mbps download by 20 Mbps upload. Community members came to Runestone Telecom in search of a solution to their lack of Internet. They door-knocked to determine support and interest for the project. They established a practical and compelling need for broadband access to improve quality of life, including how it will positively impact their vocations, employment opportunities, access to education, health, and social connections. This project specifically addresses how providing broadband access can reduce the factors contributing to the outward exodus from unserved rural locations, reduce economic disparities, and mitigate the digital divide.
Total eligible project cost is $1,401,348.
Local match is $700,674
Sjoberg's Inc. Roseau and Lake of the Woods Counties - Grant: $354,740
This last mile project will serve 126 unserved households, 30 unserved businesses and 1 community anchor institution in several areas in Roseau and Lake of the Woods Counties in northwestern MN, including Jadis, Spruce, and Gudrid Townships. In a funding partnership with the State of Minnesota, Sjoberg's Inc. will improve unserved levels in the project area to 1 Gigabit service, exceeding the 2026 state speed goal of 100 Mbps by 20 Mbps. Broadband connectivity gaps remain one of the most significant barriers to furthering economic development in rural Minnesota. This investment will improve community well-being and serve as an infrastructural element that encourages job growth and business expansion. It will also enable residents to productively telework or operate a home-based business.
Total eligible project cost is $709,481.
Local match is $354,740.
Sunrise Township (CenturyLink) Fiber to the Home - Grant: $1,074,852
This last mile project will serve 584 unserved households, 10 unserved businesses, and 2 community anchor institutions in rural Sunrise Township in Chisago County, MN. In a funding partnership with the State of Minnesota and Sunrise Township, CenturyLink will leverage CAFII funding from the FCC to bring 1 Gigabit service to two-thirds of the township, exceeding the 2026 state speed goal of 100 Mbps by 20 Mbps. When Stepp Manufacturing based in the township found that one of their highest operating costs was broadband, they started making calls to CenturyLink, Sunrise Township, and the Chisago County HRA-EDA. That resulted in the entire community working together, including a township match of nearly $600,000 in bonding, to get this fiber-to-the-home project that will improve business, education, health care, and telecommuting opportunities in the area.
Total eligible project cost is $2,388,560.
Local match is $1,313,708.
TDS Telecom Cass & Crow Wing Counties - Grant: $3,000,000
This last mile project will serve 3459 unserved households, 62 unserved businesses, and 4 community anchor institutions in Cass and Crow Wing counties in north central Minnesota including Backus, Hackensack, Ideal Corners, Pequot Lakes, Pine River, and Woman Lake. In a funding partnership with the State of Minnesota, TDS Telecom (dba Arvig Telephone Company) will improve unserved levels to the 2022 state speed goal of 25 Mbps download and 3 Mbps upload. Within the proposed project's footprint, 142 small enterprises (e.g., farms, breeders, taxidermy, auto shop) currently do not have access to high speed internet service. Given access to affordable high speed broadband through this project, these rural businesses will be able to expand their market beyond their local area and reach across the nation.
Total eligible project cost is $6,000,000.
Local match is $3,000,000.
WCTA Wadena Rural North - Grant: $718,850
This last mile project will serve 174 unserved households, 13 unserved businesses, and 2 community anchor institutions in Otter Tail County in northcentral MN, covering portions of Bluffton and Blowers Townships and also in Wadena County covering portions of Rockwood, Leaf River, North Germany and Wing River Townships, including the community of Bluegrass. In a funding partnership with the State of Minnesota, West Central Telephone Association will improve unserved levels to 1 Gigabit speed, surpassing the 2026 state speed goal of 100 Mbps download and 20 Mbps upload. The project will bridge the digital divide for government, businesses, consumers and students in the area, enabling this area of the state to find new ways to thrive.
Total eligible project cost is $1,497,605.
Local match is $778,755.
Wikstrom Telephone Company (with Beamco, Inc.) Rural Alvarado – Grant: $43,481
This last mile project will serve 11 unserved households and 1 unserved business in the Alvarado area, in a remote part of Marshall County, in northwestern Minnesota. In a funding partnership with the State of Minnesota and Beamco, Inc., a local engineering and manufacturing company, Wiktel will improve unserved levels to 1 Gigabit speed, surpassing the 2026 state speed goal of 100 Mbps download and 20 Mbps upload. This project exemplifies how rural businesses may realize greater benefit from effective Internet use than their urban counterparts because online services can remove geographic barriers to reaching customers and supply-chains. In this case, Beamco Inc. is helping fund the most up-to-date telecommunications at the highest upload and download speeds to reach its suppliers and customers in the U.S., Canada, Europe, and China. In doing so, it is also helping local residents and households benefit from the same upgrades.
Total eligible project cost is $86,963.
Local match is $43,482
Wikstrom Telephone Company Wiktel NW MN – Grant: $950,823
This last mile project will serve 236 unserved households and 26 unserved business in rural sparsely populated areas in Kittson, Marshall, Roseau, and Lake of the Woods counties in NW Minnesota. In a funding partnership with the State of Minnesota, Wiktel will improve unserved levels to 1 Gigabit speed, surpassing the 2026 state speed goal of 100 Mbps download and 20 Mbps upload. Broadband has been clearly identified by Minnesota regional economic development agencies (including the Northwest Regional Development Commission) as an infrastructure element that encourages job growth and business expansion. Northwest Minnesota is considered to be a recreation and transportation industry cluster with major RV manufacturers such as Polaris Industries and Arctic Cat. This public-private partnership will benefit those businesses and area households alike.
Total eligible project cost is $2,112,941.
Local match is $1,162,118.
Winona County Pickwick Area – Grant: $416,640
This last mile project will serve 88 unserved households, 89 unserved businesses, 2 unserved community anchor institutions, and 23 underserved households and 23 underserved businesses within Wilson, Homer, Richmond, Pleasant Hill, and Wiscoy Townships in Winona County in southeastern MN. In a funding partnership with the State of Minnesota, Winona County with Hiawatha Broadband Communications will improve unserved levels to 1 Gigabit speed, surpassing the 2026 state speed goal of 100 Mbps download and 20 Mbps upload. In addition to brick and mortar enterprises, a survey completed for the project shows at least 39 home businesses being operated in the area and an additional 45 or more individuals working from home or who would be able to work from home with improved broadband.
Total eligible project cost is $868,000.
Local match is $451,360.
Woodstock Telephone Westbrook – Grant: $412,391
This last mile project will serve 368 unserved households, 29 unserved businesses, and 7 unserved community anchor institutions in the city of Westbrook in Cottonwood County in southwest Minnesota. In a funding partnership with the State of Minnesota, Woodstock will improve unserved levels to 1 Gigabit speeds, surpassing the 2026 state speed goal of 100 Mbps download and 20 Mbps upload. Access to high-speed broadband will improve the quality of life in several different ways: new growth opportunities for businesses; more access to healthcare, education, and also employment via telecommuting. Westbrook has 10% less high school graduates than the state average. The school system has struggled to provide Internet for students. Higher education via distance learning would also become a better option with better broadband. Westbrook residents recognize that better broadband is a key element to attain, maintain, and strengthen thriving communities.
Total eligible project cost is $916,424.
Local match is $504,033.
2015 Broadband Grant Recipients - Round 2
Recipients
BEVCOMM Cannon Valley Telecom - Rural Freeborn Fiber-to-the-Premises Project
Grant award: $149,625
BEVCOMM Cannon Valley Telecom, Inc. will build out broadband infrastructure to provide state speed goal broadband service and above to 43 households and 1 business in the rural Freeborn area, in Freeborn County in south-central Minnesota, close to the Minnesota/Iowa border. The total project costs are $393,750; the remaining $244,125 (62 percent local match) will be provided by BEVCOMM.
Community and Economic Development Impact: Development and use of broadband will support various home-based business options, stimulate economic growth, and stimulate innovation and investment. Education, health care, energy efficiency, and public safety will improve with high-speed Internet access. The greatest economic development potential of the Rural Freeborn will be in area crop and livestock production including advancement in bin monitoring systems, livestock feed and environment monitoring, security, video surveillance, and energy management.
BEVCOMM Blue Earth Valley Telephone - Rural Winnebago Fiber-to-the-Premises Project
Grant award: $142,690
BEVCOMM Blue Earth Valley Telephone Co.'s Rural Winnebago Fiber-to-the-Premises Project will be building FTTP infrastructure in the rural Winnebago area to provide state speed goal broadband service and above to 30 unserved households and farms in rural Winnebago, in Faribault County in south-central Minnesota. The total project costs are $375,500; the remaining $232,810 (62 percent local match) will be provided by BEVCOMM.
Community and Economic Development Impact: The project will provide a state-of-the-art broadband network to the unserved locations within rural Winnebago. It will provide various home-based business options, stimulate economic growth, and stimulate innovation and investment. Education, health care, energy efficiency, and public safety will improve with high-speed Internet access. As in the Blue Earth-Freeborn project, the greatest economic development potential of the Rural Winnebago Project will be in area crop and livestock production. The economic engine of the proposed grant area is agriculture. Broadband investments will enable area farmers to access applications and tools to make their operations more efficient and enhance their crop production.
A second benefit is access to better health care for all, and applications that help aging adults or individuals living with disabilities to remain in their homes instead of being moved to a care facility. This improves quality of life for those individuals. In addition, the proposed broadband network will provide distinct benefits to first responders, paramedics, and rural doctors to share medical information and start vital treatment to a patient while an ambulance is en route to the hospital.
Consolidated Telecommunications Company - Fort Ripley Phase II
Grant award: $759,525
Consolidated Telecommunication Company will build out broadband infrastructure in the Fort Ripley area adjacent to Highway 371 to provide state speed goal broadband service and above to an additional 272 households. A Phase II project that leverages Phase I investments, this provider and regional development agency collaboration has extensive support from all sectors of the community and residents as part of a Resilient Region Virtual Highway multi-year, multi-phase regional development plan and strategy. The total project costs are $1,599,000; the remaining $839,475 (52 percent local match) will be provided by CTC and a combination of regional and local development agency investments.
Community and Economic Development Impact: A survey conducted by CTC within the Phase II project area concluded that greater than 83% of respondents would benefit from telecommuting, an option not available to them today without access to broadband. The project will enable that telecommuting and home-based business creation and expansion.
Federated Telephone Cooperative - Swift County FTTP 2015
Grant award: $4,950,000
FTC will build out fiber infrastructure in Swift County to provide state speed goal broadband service and above to 600 households, 425 businesses, and 75 community institutions. The project area includes the community of De Graff, the unincorporated Village of Swift Falls, and the rural parts of eastern Swift County. The project touches 13 of the County's 21 townships, filling in the entire eastern rural portions of the County plus a few locations in and around the City of Appleton in Appleton Township. Townships impacted include: Appleton/City of Appleton, Swenoda, Six Mile Grove, Clontarf, Benson, Torning, Cashel, Camp Lake, Kildare, Dublin, Kerkhoven, Hayes and Pillsbury. This is a provider and County partnership with support from all sectors of the community. The total project costs are $12,484,095; the remaining $7,534,095 (60 percent local match) will be provided by a loan to Federated by Swift County.
Community and Economic Development Impact: Both Swift County and Upper Minnesota Valley Regional Development Commission have identified broadband infrastructure as a high priority in their respective economic development plans. Completion of this priority would further their economic development goals for the county and region. Broadband infrastructure will help support job creation and economic prosperity throughout the County. The anticipated jobs impact is 500+ jobs over the next few years, related to farming, home-based start-ups, commercial expansions and more. Major industries in Swift County include bio-energy and agriculture, which both rely heavily on broadband for efficient reporting and logistics, including precision agriculture. GIS is playing an increasing role in both industries for mapping out logistics of their respective operations. There are just over 800 farms in Swift County (Ag Census 2012) and it's estimated that nearly half are located in the project area.
Halstad Telephone Company - Gentilly Township
Grant award: $424,460
Halstad Telephone Company will build out FTTH infrastructure in Gentilly Township in Polk County to provide state speed goal broadband service and above to 114 households, 20 businesses, and 1 community anchor institution in the Village of Gentilly and Gentilly Township (except for the NW corner of the township which is served already). The total project costs are $931,000; the remaining $504,540 (54 percent local match) will be provided by Halstad Telephone Company.
Community and Economic Development Impact: Among other improvements in community and economic development capacity, broadband connectivity in the project area will enable more effective agricultural management and teleworking, which creates new employment opportunities regardless of location.
Hiawatha Broadband Communications - Winona County Whitewater Area
Grant Award: $247,000
Hiawatha Broadband Communications will partner with Winona County to build out broadband infrastructure in Winona County, in Elba and Norton Townships including Whitewater State Park to provide state speed goal broadband service and above to 418 passings including 135 households, 70 businesses and 5 community anchor institutions. County and Provider-led with extensive community engagement, including schools, health care, businesses, cities and county, townships, and residents. The total project costs are $773,320; the remaining $526,000 (68% percent local match) will be provided by HBC and Winona County.
Community and Economic Development Impact: This area contains Whitewater State Park with an annual visitorship of about 300,000 people, Whitewater Wildlife Management Area, Crystal Springs Fish Hatchery, 75 farm operations, 32 commercial and industrial businesses, a school and numerous public institutions. The area has had an active group of citizens advocating for improved broadband so that businesses can grow and prosper, rural students can have improved educational opportunity, health care is more accessible, home values are supported, and public safety is improved. It also positions the area to compete for people and economic opportunities coming with the Destination Medical Center and growth occurring in the 7 Rivers Region in southeastern MN.
Midcontinent Little Fork Middle Mile
Grant award: $277,448
Midcontinent will build out broadband middle mile infrastructure between Little Fork and International Falls following MN11 to US71 to CR22 to provide state speed goal broadband service and above to 258 passings. The total project costs are $584,100; the remaining $306,652 (52 percent local match) will be provided by Midcontinent.
Community and Economic Development Impact: Once operational, these middle mile upgrades will benefit the entire community with increased speed, capacity, and reliability of data services.
MVTV Wireless Middle Mile
Grant award: $808,080
This project is a Middle Mile broadband infrastructure buildout to upgrade backhaul capacity between site locations within 20 southwestern Minnesota counties that will improve services to state speed goal levels and above to 6,000 households and businesses that are current MVTV customers, with leverage possibility of 29,000 more. The counties are: Blue Earth, Chippewa, Cottonwood, Jackson, Kandiyohi, Lac Qui Parle, Lincoln, Lyon, Meeker, Murray, Nicollet, Nobles, Pipestone, Rock, Redwood, Renville, Sibley Swift, Watonwan, and Yellow Medicine. This project has extensive support from local public and private sector organizations and businesses and local citizens. In conjunction with existing and identified fiber points of presence, MVTV will enhance wireless backhaul aggregation links in select areas. The project deployment consists of 58 11GHz licensed radio links. Radio full duplex capacity will reach a maximum scalable throughput in excess of 1Gbps download and 1Gbps upload .The total project costs are $1,850,610; the remaining $1,042,530 (56 percent local match) will be provided by Midcontinent.
Community and Economic Development Impact: Agricultural data usage is exploding nationally and very apparent in MVTVs service area, from drone services, GPS-based millimeter farming to machine-to-machine data transfer. This broadband investment will improve broadband access and speeds for more than 3,000 current farm-based businesses and 6,000 rural residents across a nearly 30,000 square mile footprint.
New Ulm Telecom Goodhue Fiber Project
Grant award: $115,934
New Ulm Telecom will build out middle mile and last mile infrastructure in Goodhue County, Goodhue Township, near the city of Goodhue to provide state speed goal broadband service to 24 households, businesses, and community institutions. The total project costs are $244,073; the remaining $128,139 (53 percent local match) will be provided by New Ulm Telecom.
Community and Economic Development Impact: Nearly all of the passings in this project area are to farms or home-based businesses, consisting of rural residents who perform some type of work from their home location, such as farming, telecommuting, and home-based businesses. Without this investment, many residents in this area may be forced to shut down businesses, move to other locations, and resort to other measures to maintain adequate educational opportunities. There are multiple telecommuting residents, including those who do medical transcriptions.
Otter Tail Telcom Fergus Falls 864 - Hwy 59
Grant award: $295,432
Otter Tail Telcom will build out broadband infrastructure in the vicinity of Fergus Falls near Hwy 59, to extend its existing fiber cable at the north edge of Fergus Falls to serve 63 locations, including 56 households and 7 businesses and one cell tower. The total project costs are $621,962; the remaining $326,530 (52 percent local match) will be provided by Otter Tail Telcom.
Community and Economic Development Impact: The project will improve broadband service for several existing businesses and work-from-home residents. In addition, working in conjunction with the Fergus Falls Economic Improvement Commission, it will add value and create potential shovel-ready status for a new industrial park.
Otter Tail Telcom Hwy 59/94 PRT to POM
Grant award: $164,207
Otter Tail Telcom will build out middle mile broadband infrastructure north of Fergus Falls near the Hwy 59/94 intersection in Otter Tail County to provide state speed goal broadband service and above to 21 households and multiple community institutions. Areas north and south of Elizabeth, MN along Hwy 59 are included. The total project costs are $345,699; the remaining $182,437 (53 percent local match) will be provided by Otter Tail Telcom.
Community and Economic Development Impact: This new middle mile facility will provide needed increased connectivity to the Fargo/Moorhead area and redundancy for the Minneapolis middle mile facilities. All customers located in Park Region Telephone Company and Otter Tail Telcom's serving territories will directly benefit from the added connectivity. Neighboring telcos will also benefit with the added ability to provide necessary middle mile for them. Remote clinics and hospitals associated with Sanford Health and others will benefit from Metro E connection possibilities which will allow for seamless data flow of records, x-rays, scans, etc. It will also improve the capabilities of schools being served in the Region 1 area. Otter Tail Telcom and its other companies have constructed fiber to every school and library in their service areas. This new middle mile project would provide connectivity to the global network.
Paul Bunyan Central Itasca County Fiber
Grant Award: $1,980,000
Paul Bunyan Communications, in partnership with the IRRRB and Itasca County, with support from all sectors of the communities and residents, will build out broadband infrastructure in Itasca County, in portions of Balsam, Lawrence, Nashwauk Townships, and the former Iron Range Township that is now located within the City of Taconite, to provide state speed goal broadband service and above to 1193 households, 53 businesses and 5 community anchor institutions. This project is provider, county and regional development agency led, with many letters of support from all sectors of the communities and residents. The total project costs are $5,519,895; the remaining $3,539,895 (64 percent local match) will be provided by Paul Bunyan Communications, Itasca County, and the IRRRB.
Community and Economic Development Impact: The proposed project area is home to an estimated 3,500 people and approximately 100 small businesses. Businesses include restaurants, resorts, retailers, healthcare, professional service providers, home-based ventures, and construction and landscape companies, all economic engines that makes a rural way of life possible. The broadband project investments will open up new markets, provide new options for training and education of employees, increase opportunities for sales and marketing, and deliver a new world of business-related resources. In addition, it will improve the region's viability and attractiveness to telecommuters, freelancers, and others who are dependent on technology and the Internet for work.
It will also help maintain and improve health care resources, such as the Bigfork Valley health system which maintains an outreach clinic in Balsam Township. Currently, the clinic uses a cell phone hot spot which doesn't allow the clinic to fully utilize electronic medical records, electronically share files between sites, or access online medical databases and resources. Most tele-medicine services are completely unusable with the existing technology at the clinic. The lack of broadband access seriously threatens the long-term viability of this rural clinic.
Runestone Telephone Association - Holmes City
Grant award: $189,990
Runestone Telephone Association will build out broadband infrastructure in Holmes City, in Douglas County, to provide state speed goal broadband service and above to 93 households, 14 businesses and 1 community anchor institution. This is a provider and community partnership with strong support of residents, businesses, and the township. The total project costs are $428,060; the remaining $238,070 (56 percent local match) will be provided by Runestone.
Community and Economic Development Impact: In late 2014, Runestone was approached by several members of the Holmes City area regarding the possibility of providing them with Internet service. Through a grassroots effort, residents actively gathered information, did door knocking, and held community meetings to determine support and interest. This project specifically addresses how providing broadband access can reduce the factors contributing to the outward exodus from unserved rural locations, reduce economic disparities, and mitigate the digital divide. In addition to brick and mortar businesses, numerous home-based businesses and telecommuters will benefit. As will about 32 school children who live in the area who are either home schooled or attend school in Alexandria, MN. At present, many of them cannot complete daily assignments, participate in team projects or conduct research necessary for papers and reports from home.
West Central Telephone Association Hwy 71 Wadena NORTH Expansion Project
Grant Award: $193,515
West Central Telephone Association will build out broadband infrastructure in the Wadena area and Highway 71 corridor north of Wadena to provide state speed goal broadband service to 162 households, 43 businesses, and 3 community anchor institutions. The project was designed to provide a robust fiber backbone that can accommodate a much larger project area over time. This is a multi-sector partnership, including WCTA, the National Joint Powers Alliance, the West Central Alliance (Regional Economic Development), and Region Five Development Commission, with extensive community engagement from local public and private sector organizations and businesses, and local citizens. The total project costs are $2,119,018; the remaining $1,925,503 (91 percent local match) will be provided by WCTA and a combination of investment by the local and regional organizations noted above.
Community and Economic Development Impact: Broadband investments to support e-commerce and cloud-based applications will help struggling small businesses succeed, provide telehealth to assist seniors "age in place," tele-psychiatry to help address a shortage of mental health workers, online education to enable high school students to earn free college credits and provide others new learning opportunities.
Winona County Hiawatha Broadband Communications - Cedar Valley Area
Grant award: $314,450
Winona County and Hiawatha Broadband Communications are partnering to build out broadband infrastructure in Winona County, in and around the towns of Ridgeway, Witoka, and Wilson (Pleasant Hill, Homer, and Wilson Townships) to provide state speed goal broadband service and above to 256 households, 117 businesses and 3 community anchor institutions. The project area lies south and west of Winona from Hwy 61 along the Mississippi River to I-90. This is a multi-sector partnership between Winona County and HBC, with extensive local business, organizational and citizen engagement. The total project costs are $973,000; the remaining $658,550 (68 percent local match) will be provided by Winona County and HBC.
Community and Economic Development Impact: Due to excellent access to I-90, trucking firms find this area ideal except for the lack of broadband (as all scheduling and routing of trucks and loads is done on-line). In addition, there are 90 farm operations, 9 commercial and industrial businesses, 18 home-based businesses that have been identified (possibly 85 total), a school and numerous public institutions in the project area. Broadband investments will help businesses grow and prosper, provide rural students educational opportunities, improve health care accessibility, maintain and improve homes, and improve public safety.
2014 Broadband Grant Recipients - Round 1
Recipients
Arvig (Mainstreet Communications LLC), Sauk Lake area
Award: $536,702. Total project cost: $1.07 million. Impact: Service to 217 unserved premises.
CenturyLink Foley, Benton County–Balkan Township
Award: $382,883. Total project cost: $995,977. Impact: Service to 162 unserved households, 10 businesses, several community facilities.
Consolidated Telephone Cooperative, Region 5 Virtual Highway Project
Award: $2 million. Total project cost: $4.22 million. Impact: Service to 247 unserved and 90 underserved premises in Cass, Crow Wing and Morrison counties.
Federated Telephone Cooperative, Big Stone County
Award: $3.92 million. Total project cost: $7.92 million. Impact: Service to 1,072 unserved premises in the communities of Barry, Beardsley and Johnson, and rural parts of Big Stone County.
Halstad Telephone Co., Halstad Tract MN 11902500 FTTH
Award: $1.65 million. Total project cost: $3.3 million. Impact: Service to 249 unserved locations in Polk County.
Interstate Telecommunications Cooperative (ITC), Hendricks Town FTTP
Award: $700,000. Total project cost: $1.87 million. Impact: Service to 377 homes and farms, 57 businesses and eight community institutions, all currently underserved.
Mediacom, Pintar Road
Award: $137,848. Total project cost: $275,697. Impact: Service to 122 unserved homes and businesses on the southwest edge of the city limits of Hibbing.
Northeast Service Cooperative – Frontier Communications Corp., Border to Border Phase I
Award: $1.96 million. Total project cost: $4.35 million. Impact: Service to 877 homes and businesses in St. Louis County, including areas in and around Crane Lake, Alborn, Meadowlands, Brookston, Forbes, Kelsey, Soudan, Kabetogama, Ely and Tower.
Otter Tail Telcom, Swan Lake West
Award: $438,937. Total project cost: $877,874. Impact: Service to 110 unserved locations near Swan Lake, on the outskirts of Fergus Falls.
Otter Tail Telcom, Stuart Lake
Award: $105,364. Total project cost: $210,729. Impact: service to 47 unserved locations near Stuart Lake, just north of State Highway 210 and east of Fergus Falls.
Otter Tail Telcom, 245th
Award: $108,553. Total project cost: $217,105. Impact: service to 39 unserved locations.
Palmer Wireless, Becker Industrial Park
Award: $151,934. Total project cost: $303,870. Impact: service to 21 underserved businesses in the Becker Industrial Park and 12 vacant city-owned lots covering 70 acres.
Rock County Broadband Alliance (RCBA), FTTP Project
Award: $5 million. Total project cost: $12.85 million. Impact: service to 1,261 homes and farms, 68 businesses, and 21 community institutions in Rock County.
R-S Fiber Cooperative, FTTH Project
Award: $1 million. Total project cost: $3.32 million. Impact: Service to 62 unserved and 536 underserved locations in Sibley and Renville counties. The project is part of a larger cooperative project estimated at $38.46 million that will upgrade broadband services to several thousand locations in the region.
Sjoberg Cable, Broadband Grant Proposal
Award: $261,575. Total project cost: $523,150. Impact: Services to 107 unserved and 49 underserved homes, farms and businesses in five areas in Roseau County near Roseau, Warroad and Salol.
Wikstrom Telephone, Kittson, Marshall, Roseau Broadband Extension
Award: $425,000. Total project cost: $943,827. Impact: Service to 73 unserved and 43 underserved homes in Kittson, Marshall and Roseau counties.
