Mille Lacs County
| Year | Rank | 100/20 Mbps |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | #66 of 87 | 75.76% |
| 2023 | #75 of 87 | 68.72% |
| 2022 | #73 of 87 | 66.71% |
| 2021 | #72 of 87 | 60.1% |
| 2020 | #70 of 87 | 58.9% |
| 2019 | #67 of 87 | 52.77% |
| 2018 | #49 of 87 | 54.42% |
| 2017 | #47 of 87 | 47.07% |
Red dots represent unserved locations.
Wired (wireline) and wireless (fixed, non-mobile) served location percentage at various speeds.
Mille Lacs County: ECE Gets $10 Million in 2024 Grants
Mille Lacs County ranks 67 (down one place) for broadband access out of 87 counties. Progress in Mille Lacs has been slow and incremental.
Mille Lacs is engaging with multiple broadband providers and East Central Energy was awarded three grants in 2024 (totally more than $10 million). I suspect the results of those projects will bump Mille Lacs into yellow or green ranking but for now they retain their red ranking.
- Over the years, Mille Lacs County (or cities within) has invested $242,200 (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.
- Mille Lacs County will benefit from three 2024 MN Broadband grants:
$3.6 Million award that will serve 803 locations,
$3.2 million award that will serve 659 locations and
$4.9 million award that will serve 1479 locations. - Mille Lacs County will not benefit from any line extension awards.
- Last years’ estimates indicated that it would cost $34 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, Mille Lacs ranked 81 using Microsoft’s Digital Equity Tool, which looks at various factors of a community.
- Mille Lacs County was part of the Blandin Broadband Communities (BBC) initiative from 2012-2014.
- In November (2022), the Mille Lacs County Board of Commissioners met to hear about broadband options.
Household Density
17.2
Number of Providers
15
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
2016 – BENTON COOPERATIVE TELEPHONE COMPANY BOCK – GRANT: $510,000
2019 – Benton Cooperative Telephone Company – Ramey Phase I – GRANT $936,759
MN State Grants awarded in 2021: Savage Communications Inc. (SCI) – Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe (Onamia) Broadband Expansion – GRANT $70,261 This last mile fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) project will serve 102 unserved households within the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe Reservation in Mille Lacs County.
Benton Cooperative Telephone Company – Ramey Phase 2 Project – GRANT $338,011 This last mile project will serve 119 unserved locations in the Ramey telephone exchange located in portions of Lakin and Mount Morris townships in Morrison County and a small portion of Dailey and Page townships located in Mille Lacs County.
2022 – Savage Communications Inc. (SCI) – Northern Mille Lacs County 2022: Broadband Expansion – GRANT $476,108
Benton Cooperative Telephone Company – Borgholm Township Project – GRANT $1,118,289 (Learn more)
2024:
- County: Mille Lacs
East Central Energy Mille Lacs North
Grant: $3,604,567
Local Match: $5,637,915
Total Budget: $9,242,482
The East Central Energy (ECE) Mille Lacs North project will expand on ECE’s electric and broadband operations in East Central Minnesota and Northwestern Wisconsin. This project will offer 100/100 Mbps, 250/250 Mbps, and 1 Gbps/1 Gbps service options to a total of 803 locations, 677 unserved and 126 underserved, consisting of 680 households, 101 businesses, and 22 farms. Funding partner are Mille Lacs County with a contribution of $15,800 and Page Township with a contribution of $8,000. - County: Isanti, Kanabec, Mille Lacs
East Central Energy Mille Lacs Central
Grant: $3,267,902
Local Match: $5,111,333
Total Budget: $8,379,235
The East Central Energy Mille Lacs Central project will expand on ECE’s electric and broadband operations in East Central Minnesota and Northwestern Wisconsin, bringing state-of-the-art Fiber to the Premise (FTTP) technology to residents of Mille Lacs, Kanabec, and Isanti Counties. This project will serve a total of 659 locations, including 509 unserved and 150 underserved locations. Funding partners are; Isanti Couty $10,000, Kanabec County $900, Mille Lacs County $4,200, and South Fork Township $800, for a total partner contribution of $15,900. - County: Isanti, Mille Lacs
East Central Energy
ECE Mille Lacs Sout
Grant: $4,885,809
Local Match: $8,319,081
Total Budget: $13,204,890
East Central Energy will connect 1,479 unserved and underserved passings with fiber-to-the premises internet service in the proposed Mille Lacs South project area, which encompasses parts of southern Mille Lacs County and western Isanti County. The total passings include 950 households, 89 businesses, and 440 farms. ECE will utilize its current electric pole line and substation infrastructure to connect the 1,479 passings with 100/100 Mbps or greater internet speeds. The Project will expand on ECE’s electric and broadband operations in east central Minnesota and northwestern Wisconsin. ECE currently provides electric service to more than 66,000 homes, farms, and businesses. Mille Lacs County is pledging $100,000 and Isanti County is pledging $6,000 toward the project.
Government Districts
U.S. Congress: CD 8
MN Senate: 10, 27
MN House: 10A, 10B, 27B