Waseca County
| Year | Rank | 100/20 Mbps |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | #64 of 87 | 76.12% |
| 2022 | #55 of 87 | 75.12% |
| 2021 | #52 of 87 | 75.02% |
| 2020 | #46 of 87 | 75.34% |
| 2019 | #43 of 87 | 75.2% |
| 2018 | #25 of 87 | 75.06% |
| 2017 | #3 of 87 | 98.75% |
Waseca County: Stalled at 75 Percent Broadband Access
Waseca County ranks 64 for broadband access out of 87 counties. They have 76.12 percent coverage to broadband of 100 Mbps down and 20 up. They have 1699 households without access to broadband at that speed. Estimates indicate that it will cost $15.8 million to get to ubiquitous broadband in the county.
Waseca County has been hovering around 75 percent coverage to broadband of 100 Mbps down and 20 up since 2018. I don’t see any grants in the hopper or yet to be spent. They retain their red ranking.
Also, they are also concerned about being in a potentially precarious position because looking at access in the County using the FCC National Map there is a big discrepancy between wireline access (75.4 percent coverage) and wireline with fixed wireless (98.56 percent). Minnesota doesn’t currently take fixed wireless into consideration when defining areas eligible for grants; the federal government does include access to fixed wireless. That could make a big difference to who is eligible for BEAD funding.
Household Density
16.5
Number of Providers
19
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
MN State Grants awarded in 2021: BEVCOMM (Cannon Valley Telecom, Inc.) – Rural Morristown Fiber Expansion Project – GRANT $210,692 This last mile project will serve approximately 14 unserved and 94 underserved locations in portions of Rice, Waseca, and Steele counties.
Government Districts
U.S. Congress: CD 1
MN Senate: 19, 23
MN House: 19A, 19B, 23A