Minnesota-headquartered local broadband service provider Arvig said it has been awarded grants from the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development's (DEED) Office of Broadband Development to bolster its fiber-to-the-home expansion efforts. The company said it will invest the funding in fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) expansion to bring Gigabit-level internet speeds to three Minnesota counties.
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Grant Funding Boosts Expansion Efforts
Arvig announced on Monday that the grants, totaling over USD 4.3 million, originate from two DEED programs: the Border to Border Broadband and Low Population Density programs. Arvig is committed to augmenting this funding with an additional investment of USD 870,075 to cover additional project costs.
The expansion project is set to benefit approximately 417 structures and facilitate the construction of roughly 105 route miles of fiber. Targeted areas include the Grand Meadow vicinity in Mower County, the rural Elrosa, Sauk Centre, and Roscoe regions in Stearns County, as well as the village of Naytahwaush in Mahnomen County, according to Arvig.
Gigabit-Level Internet Speeds for Rural Communities
Arvig said, "Access to Gig-level speeds gives rural Minnesota a big advantage and ensures homes and businesses have the best experience for streaming, gaming, working from home, and staying connected to the world."
Upon completion, residents and businesses in these counties will gain access to internet services offering speeds of up to 10 Gigabits per second for downloads and 1 Gigabit per second for uploads.
Furthermore, Arvig's network infrastructure will also provide television, phone, and business services, surpassing the state's mandated minimum speed requirements.
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Completion Timeline
Construction is slated to commence in 2025, following the acquisition of all necessary permits and completion of mandated environmental studies. The projects are scheduled to be completed by June 2026.
