Three communities in Sherburne, Benton and Wright counties are the recipients of a total of 39 broadband projects across the state, announced by Lt. Gov. Tina Smith Tuesday.

 

The grants total $26 million, for projects to be carried out in 2018.

 

The funding is a combination of $20 million approved during the 2017 legislative session, plus carryover from previous grant rounds.

 

These border-to-border grants recipients represent all technologies eligible for the funding, to include fiber optic, cable, fixed wireless and DSL.

 

Palmer Wireless, Duelm Hwy. 95, $162,814. This last mile project will serve 60 unserved households and 21 unserved business near Duelm, in southern Benton County.

 

Fiber to the Home technology is capable of delivering 1 Gbps speeds and down. In a funding partnership with the state, Palmer Wireless will upgrade its wireless customers and improve broadband service levels for others along the route, throgh a fiber network capable of meeting and exceeding the 2026 state speed goal.

 

The total eligible cost is $361,809, with a $198,995 local match.

 

Palmer Wireless, Sherburne County Road 3, $110,661. This last mile Fiber to the Premise project will serve 20 unserved households and 10 unserved business, and one unserved community institution in the county in an area near the St. Cloud Airport with speeds of 1 Gbps download and 500 Mbps upload, which exceed the state’s 2026 speed goal.

 

In a funding partnership with the state and the county, Palmer Wireless will make improved broadband service levels to this residential and farming area adjacent to the St. Cloud metro area, business industrial parks and the airport.

 

This builds on Palmer Wireless’ partnership with the county to make broadband available to communities in which the county has proactively installed conduit and vaults along Co. Rd. 3, in conjunction with the highway improvement project. 

 

The total eligible cost is $245,914, with a $135,253 local match.

 

At Annandale,   Midcontinent Communications and Annandale will team up for a $537,050 project.

 

This project will build out improved broadband service to 40 unserved households, and 531 underserved households and seven underserved businesses in the area northeast of Annandale near Bass Lake and Clearwater Lake.

 

In a funding partnership with the state, Midco will improve broadband service levels 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, with a $537,050 local match.