Mower County

Mower County: Incremental Improvement

Mower County ranks 46 (down 9) for broadband access out of 87 counties. They have 83.61 percent coverage to broadband of 100 Mbps down and 20 up. They have 2455 households without access to broadband at that speed. Estimates indicate that it will cost $22.8 million to get to ubiquitous broadband in the county.

Mower County has had steady, incremental growth for a few years. Then they ran into a road block.

LTD Broadband was awarded the opportunity to submit a long form to get federal funding (RDOF) to deploy FTTH throughout much of Minnesota, including parts of Mower County. The potential RDOF award meant Le Sueur’s state grant application was no longer eligible for other funding. In 2023, the federal funders disqualifies LTD Broadband from receiving funding and the MN Public Utilities Commission is looking at revoking the ETC designation they needed to qualify for funding.

Mower County has demonstrated an interest in engaging and investing in broadband so they maintain their yellow code. But Mower County has demonstrated an interest in engaging and investing in broadband so they maintain their yellow code. Both Arvig and Spectrum have applied for funds in the latest (open) round of Border to Border grants but won’t know the results until early 2024.