Residents of several southeast Minnesota communities without sufficient high speed internet connectivity will soon have access to the critical 21st Century technology thanks to funding included in the 2017 Jobs and Economic Development Bill. Senator Mike Goggin (R-Red Wing) advocated for the southeast Minnesota projects to be included, and supported the final bill.
Midcontinent Communication (MidCo) in Wanamingo and New Ulm Telecom in Goodhue will receive a total of $1,180,304 for the broadband expansion projects.
“In a world where everyone seems to have an iPhone and a Macbook, it’s hard to imagine there are still places that can’t even get high speed internet access,” said Sen. Goggin. “But unfortunately that is too often the case in Greater Minnesota. We’ve prioritized funding the Border to Border Broadband program to continue expanding broadband service to the areas of the state that need it most. This funding will bring this crucial technology to a lot of families and businesses who desperately need it.”
Project details:
- Wanamingo area – MidCo will receive $768,600 to improve broadband infrastructure and bring service to 597 unserved households, 76 unserved businesses, and 4 unserved community institutions in the Wanamingo Area. The total eligible project cost is $1,537,200; the local match is $768,600.
- Goodhue/White Rock Rural area – New Ulm Telecom will receive $411,704 to serve 22 unserved households and 88 unserved businesses in the White Rock area of Goodhue County. The total eligible project cost is $914,898. The local match is $503,194.
The new round of Border to Border Broadband funding included 39 projects around the state. These projects will service 9,973 households, 2,169 businesses, and 60 communities.