Becker County

Table of goal data by year

Year	Rank	100/20 Mbps
2021	#56 of 87	73.42%
2020	#51 of 87	73.41%
2019	#87 of 87	6.22%
2018	#85 of 87	12.95%
2017	#81 of 87	6.58%

Coverage Map

Rank: 57 (out of 87) for access to 100/20 megabits per second (Mbps)

In 2020, Becker got a boost in the form of a MN Border to Border grant; they went from bottom ranking (87) last year to ranking 50. We were expecting to see continued progress because Arvig received a grant to extend service but the access to 100/20 is exactly the same as last year.

What is frustrating is that the access to 25/3 has increased quite a bit. This means someone has invested in improvement, which I’m sure the residents appreciate, but they did not invest in speeds that will meet future needs.

Projected allocation of American Recovery Project ARP funds in Becker is $6,676,129; broadband is one possible use.

Pope County has the opportunity to invest in broadband with federal funding. That would help them reach ubiquitous broadband. They are a code red community.

Past grants

• 2016 – PAUL BUNYAN COMMUNICATIONS HUBBARD, BECKER & ITASCA COUNTIES – GRANT: $1,742,232
• Arvig (Loretel Systems, Inc.) – Cormorant Lakes Area Project – GRANT $430,780

Find more articles on broadband in Becker County. (http://tinyurl.com/jkah37b)