Senator Carla Nelson (R-Rochester) applauded the announcement that KM Telecom has been awarded a $1.9 million Border to Border broadband grant to expand high-speed internet access to 221 households, businesses, farms, and community institutions in rural Olmsted and Dodge Counties.
“As a strong advocate of the Border-to-Border broadband program, I am thrilled that this grant will continue bridging the digital divide for residents of our area,” Senator Nelson said. “High-speed internet access is no longer a luxury — it’s a necessity for people to fully participate in education, business, health care, and civic life. This grant will truly be life-changing for families currently struggling with slow, unreliable internet service — or families with no service at all. Thank you to KMTelecom for their dedication to providing affordable high-speed internet access for everyone.”
PROJECT DETAILS
KM Telecom — Rural Byron & Salem Corners Fiber Build
- Total eligible project cost: $3,862,092
- Grant amount: $1,931,046
- Local match: $1,931,046
This last-mile project in SE Minnesota will serve 221 households, businesses, farms, and community institutions. The project area is primarily located in Olmsted County with partial coverage of Kalmer and Salem Townships. It also covers a small portion of Mantorville Township within Dodge County. In a funding partnership with the State of Minnesota, KMTelecom will offer up to 1 Gbps download and 1 Gbps upload, exceeding the 2026 state speed goal. This rural fiber build is an extension of the gig-capable network currently serving Kasson, Mantorville, Rock Dell and surrounding rural areas. The improved network will provide the necessary high-speed broadband connectivity for these rural residents to finally experience reliable access to e-learning, telehealth, and telework. The network will also allow farming operations to increase their productivity and improve their access to the latest agricultural technologies.
BORDER TO BORDER BROADBAND PROGRAM DETAILS
The KM Telecom rural fiber project was one of 30 throughout Minnesota selected to receive a total of $66.9 million in the latest round of broadband grants from the Border-to-Border fund, which is administered by the Department of Employment and Economic Development.
The Border-to-Border Broadband Development Grant Program was created in 2014. The legislative focus of this grant program is to provide financial resources that help make the business case for new and existing providers to invest in building broadband infrastructure into unserved and underserved areas of the state.
The Border-to-Border Broadband Grant Program has been funded with state general fund revenues and a combination of both state general fund revenues and federal American Rescue Plan Act Capital Projects Funds.
The 2023 Legislature appropriated $50 million for each of FY 2024 and FY 2025.