Carlton County
| Year | Rank | 100/20 Mbps |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | #78 of 87 | 66.77% |
| 2023 | #82 of 87 | 54.47% |
| 2022 | #83 of 87 | 48.71% |
| 2021 | #79 of 87 | 52.08% |
| 2020 | #77 of 87 | 52.02% |
| 2019 | #73 of 87 | 47.57% |
| 2018 | #44 of 87 | 58.22% |
| 2017 | #40 of 87 | 52.32% |
Red dots represent unserved locations.
Wired (wireline) and wireless (fixed, non-mobile) served location percentage at various speeds.
Carlton County: Making Progress Despite Obstacles
Carlton County’s rank has bumped up from 82 to 78. It’s not much but it’s positive and gets them out of the bottom 10 counties.
Unfortunately, Carlton County is one of several counties that is served primary with one national provider, who may not be as invested locally as a local provider or cooperative. The County has shown an interest in investing federal (ARPA) money; they need engaged providers. Increased federal funding may open doors for them. The recent MN Broadband grant will definitely help.
Carlton County still gets a red ranking but I’m hopeful that the influx of funding will encourage more. If I could, I’d give them an orange rank.
- Over the years, Carlton County (or cities within) has invested $766,654 (total) for matches for 2 successful MN Broadband grants. This is an indicator of local government that is engaged and (literally) invested in better, local broadband.
- Carlton County will benefit from a 2024 $2,127,530 MN Broadband grant award that will serve 770 locations.
- Carlton County will benefit from 11 line extension awards (Rounds 1 and 2), which extend broadband to individual locations.
- Last years’ estimates indicated that it would cost $59.5 million to get ubiquitous broadband in the county. (I haven’t updated the number because recent report offers scenarios of costs based on BEAD funding rules that make current estimates less predictable than in the past. Yet, I think the number is still helpful.)
- In 2022, Carlton ranked 73 using Microsoft’s Digital Equity Tool, which looks at various factors of a community.
- Pine Knot News featured Carlton’s Broadband project in June, “The transformational $10.9 million project features 180 miles of fiber optic cable, and will bring higher internet speeds and greater reliability to households across a wide area of rural Carlton County, all the way north to Munger and Solway Township. Mediacom is responsible for the project that has potential to reach 1,679 homes, 420 of those in Thomson Township, should they choose to sign up for the service.”
Household Density
16.1
Number of Providers
16
As of 2023 · Source: MN DEED
Households with Device Access
statewide
statewide
statewide
statewide
statewide
Has Worked with Blandin Foundation
Yes
Has Received MN Grant(s)
Yes
2017 – Carlton County w/ Frontier – Phase I: Cromwell/Kettle River – GRANT: $569,058
Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa – Big Lake Road Project – GRANT $602,916
2022 – Mediacom Minnesota LLC, $801,834.27 – for a project with a cost of $2,719,526
2022 – Consolidated Telephone Company (CTC) was one of the grant recipients, receiving $4,857,030 in funding (to cover St. Louis, Carlton, and Cass counties)
2023 – Carlton County Broadband Expansion – GRANT $1,271,835
2024:
- County: Carlton
Consolidated Telephone Company CTC Round 10 Wrenshall Community Broadband Project
Grant: $2,127,530
Local Match: $2,127,530
Total Budget: $4,255,060
The Consolidated Telephone Company Round 10 Wrenshall Community Broadband project will provide fiber-to-the premise in 770 locations, of which 481 are unserved and 289 underserved. This project will support efforts of residents to work from home, keep up or continue their education, and for businesses to further their community’s vitality.