Otter Tail County
| Year | 100/20 Mbps | 1 Gbps |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #40 – 90.16% | #82 – 22.61% |
| 2024 | #40 – 88.12% | |
| 2023 | #56 – 77.72% | |
| 2022 | #68 – 70.54% | |
| 2021 | #67 – 67.02% | |
| 2020 | #65 – 65.55% | |
| 2019 | #82 – 35.34% | |
| 2018 | #87 – 2.36% | |
| 2017 | #84 – 1.75% |
Red dots represent unserved locations.
Otter Tail County: getting in stride
Otter Tail County continues slow and steady progress. BEAD funding should help boost fiber connectivity, which would be helpful. They maintain their Green status.
At the time of writing, the MN BEAD final proposal has not been approved, but the current proposal would mean coverage for 933 locations in Otter Tail County. Many of the locations qualify for fiber; the rest for satellite, which does not qualify as served in the MN statute.
There is still Line Extension funding yet to be distributed, which helps connect handfuls of houses just beyond existing infrastructure. (Otter Tail has benefitted from earlier Line Extension awards. So that seems hopeful for them as well.)
Statewide, there have been changes with local and national broadband providers, which also leads to uncertainty.
Household Density
15.2
Number of Providers
16
As of 2025 · Source: MN DEED
Households with Device Access
statewide
statewide
statewide
statewide
statewide
Has Worked with Blandin Foundation
Yes
Has Received MN Grant(s)
Yes
2024:
- County: Otter Tail
Otter Tail Telcom West Fergus Falls
Grant: $3,700,198
Local Match: $1,233,399
Total Budget: $4,933,598
This Low Density Otter Tail Telcom West Fergus Falls project will construct a fiber to the home/fiber to the premise (FTTH/FTTP) network to residents and businesses in rural western Otter Tail County. Improving broadband services will enable agriculture producers, farmers, ranchers, telecommuters, business owners and independent professionals to work from home via videoconferencing; cultivate an opportunity for new businesses to relocate to Otter Tail County’s rural area; and increase job and population growth, providing a significant economic impact for the county. This project will serve 286 unserved locations. Funding partners include; Otter Tail County-$379,200, Aastad Township-$36,360, Buse Township-$17,793, Carlisle Township-$57,248, Orwell Township-$58,021, Oscar Township-$27,077, and Western Township-$41,002.
2023 – Otter Tail Telcom – South Battle Lake – GRANT $2,331,792
2022 – East Otter Tail Telephone Co. dba Arvig, $1,140,704.90
2022 – Otter Tail Telcom, LLC, $3,381,661.00 (Learn more)
2019 – Otter Tail Telcom LLC – Long and Fish Lakes Project – GRANT $156,954
2019 – Arvig (Loretel Systems, Inc.) – Cormorant Lakes Area Project – GRANT $430,780
2017 – Arvig – Pelican Rapids rural non-ACAM – GRANT $633,642
2017 – Otter Tail Telcom LLC – Red Oak Drive – GRANT $173,683
2017 – WCTA (West Central Telephone Association) – Wadena Rural Phase III – GRANT $874,581
2016 – OTTER TAIL TELCOM BATTLE LAKE – GRANT: $ 238,170
2016 – OTTER TAIL TELCOM FERGUS FALLS AREA – GRANT: $ 279,271
2016 – WCTA WADENA RURAL NORTH — GRANT: $718,850
2015 – Otter Tail Telcom Fergus Falls 864 – Hwy 59 – Grant award: $295,432
2015 – Otter Tail Telcom Hwy 59/94 PRT to POM – Grant award: $164,207
2014 – Otter Tail Telcom, Stuart Lake – Award: $105,364.
2014 – Otter Tail Telcom, 245th – Award: $108,553.