Otter Tail County
| Year | Rank | 100/20 Mbps |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | #40 of 87 | 88.12% |
| 2023 | #56 of 87 | 77.72% |
| 2022 | #68 of 87 | 70.54% |
| 2021 | #67 of 87 | 67.02% |
| 2020 | #65 of 87 | 65.55% |
| 2019 | #82 of 87 | 35.34% |
| 2018 | #87 of 87 | 2.36% |
| 2017 | #84 of 87 | 1.75% |
Red dots represent unserved locations.
Wired (wireline) and wireless (fixed, non-mobile) served location percentage at various speeds.
Otter Tail County: Getting in Stride
Otter Tail County ranks 40 (up 16 places) for broadband access out of 87 counties. They had seen slow, incremental improvement since 2020 but this year and last they saw more significant gains. They will benefit from a $3.7 million 2024 MN state grant, which should help them get closer to ubiquitous access. With all of recent activity, Otter Tail has shifted from red (2022) to yellow (2023) to green ranking in 2024.
- Over the years, Oter Tail County (or cities within) has invested $ 3,671,557 (total) for matches for 5 successful MN Broadband grants. This is an indicator of local government that is engaged and (literally) invested in better, local broadband.
- Otter Tail County will benefit from a 2024 $3.7 million MN Broadband grant award that will serve 287 locations.
- Otter Tail County will benefit from 35 line extension awards (Rounds 1 and 2), which extend broadband to individual locations.
- Last years’ estimates indicated that it would cost $19.5 million to get ubiquitous broadband in the county. (I haven’t updated the number because recent report offers scenarios of costs based on BEAD funding rules that make current estimates less predictable than in the past. Yet, I think the number is still helpful.)
- In 2022, Otter Tail ranked 43 using Microsoft’s Digital Equity Tool, which looks at various factors of a community.
Household Density
15.2
Number of Providers
17
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
2024:
- County: Otter Tail
Representative Jeff Backer, Senator Jordan Rasmusson
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.