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Kittson County

Table of goal data by year
Year Rank 100/20 Mbps
2023 #23 of 87 92.69%
2022 #27 of 87 87.57%
2021 #42 of 87 80.13%
2020 #36 of 87 80.11%
2019 #44 of 87 74.99%
2018 #30 of 87 71.38%
2017 #82 of 87 3.46%

Kittson County: Gaining Traction

Kittson County ranks 23 (up 4 poimts) for broadband access out of 87 counties. They have 92.69 percent coverage to broadband of 100 Mbps down and 20 up. They have 137 households without access to broadband at that speed. Estimates indicate that it will cost $534,000 to get to ubiquitous broadband in the county.

Kittson County saw small increases in access until 2022 but their progress is continuing. In December 2022, Wikstron Telephone was awarded a $665,699 Border to Border award serving Beltrami, Kittson, Lake of the Woods and Marshall. In 2023, Wikstron got another grant of $2.5 million to serve rural, sparsely populated areas in Kittson and Marshall counties in far northwest Minnesota, passing 199 homes, businesses and farms. And Wikstrom has applied for a grants i the latest Border to Border broadband grant round, which is still open but winner should be announced in early 2024.

Kittson seems to be gaining traction with local provider partnership, which should serve them well when federal funding (BEAD) becomes available but they retain their yellow ranking for now.

Household Density

1.7

Number of Providers

10

As of 2023 · Source: MN DEED

Households with Device Access

A Device 82.5% 95.5%
statewide
Desktop or Laptop 71.7% 83.2%
statewide
Smartphone 63.5% 90.1%
statewide
Tablet 42.6% 65.8%
statewide
Other 3.0% 2.3%
statewide

Has Worked with Blandin Foundation

No

Has Received MN Grant(s)

Yes

2014 – Wikstrom Telephone, Kittson, Marshall, Roseau Broadband Extension – Award $425,000

2016 – WIKSTROM TELEPHONE COMPANY WIKTEL NW MN – GRANT: $950,823

2017 – Wikstrom Telephone – Wiktel NW MN Broadband – GRANT $1,307,785

2019 – Wikstrom Telephone – Wiktel NW MN Broadband Project – GRANT $1,151,526

There is a matrix of Minnesota broadband adoption projects; it includes projects from this area.

2022 – Wikstrom Telephone Co. Inc, $665,699.00 (serving Beltrami, Kittson, Lake of the Woods and Marshall)

2023 – Wikstrom Telephone Company – Wiktel NW MN Broadband 2023 – GRANT $2,531,488

Government Districts

U.S. Congress: CD 7

MN Senate: 01

MN House: 01A

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