Senator Jeremy Miller (R-Winona) today celebrated the announcement of Border-to-Border broadband grants for two projects in southeastern Minnesota. The grants, totaling over $4 million, will provide critical broadband infrastructure to underserved areas of Fillmore County.

“High-speed internet has become a necessity as important as electricity,” Senator Miller said. “These past few years have really magnified how essential broadband access is in our daily lives. In Greater Minnesota, there are still too many communities that do not have access to high-speed internet. We are making significant progress every year and grants like these make a world of difference in people’s lives.”

PROJECT DETAILS

Harmony Telephone Company – Rural Preston Fiber-To-The-Premises 

Total eligible project cost: $2,611,089

Grant amount: $1,044,436   

Local match: $1,566,653

The North Preston Rural Fiber-to-the-Premises Project will serve 68 households, businesses, and farms in the rural portions of Fillmore County. In a funding partnership with the State of Minnesota, Harmony Telephone Company (HTC) will improve unserved levels to 1 Gbps download and 1 Gbps upload on their fiber network, exceeding the 2026 state speed goal. This network is vital to their rural community and economy.

Harmony Telephone Company – North Fountain Fiber-To-The-Premises 

Total eligible project cost: $7,477,595

Grant amount: $2,991,038

Local match: $4,486,557

The North Fountain Fiber-To-The-Premises Project will serve 311 households, businesses, and farms in Fillmore County. In a funding partnership with the State of Minnesota, Harmony Telephone Company (HTC) will improve unserved levels to 1 Gbps download and 1 Gbps upload on their fiber network, exceeding the 2026 state speed goal. Building a fiber-to-the-premises network will improve access to education and healthcare services. It will also increase employment as businesses leverage this new network and telecommuting opportunities become available. 

BORDER TO BORDER BROADBAND PROGRAM DETAILS 

The two Fillmore County grants were among 30 projects throughout Minnesota selected to receive a total of $66.9 million in the latest round of broadband grants from the Border-to-Border fund, which is administered by the Department of Employment and Economic Development.

The Border-to-Border Broadband Development Grant Program was created in 2014. The legislative focus of this grant program is to provide financial resources that help make the business case for new and existing providers to invest in building broadband infrastructure into unserved and underserved areas of the state. 

The Border-to-Border Broadband Grant Program has been funded with state general fund revenues and a combination of both state general fund revenues and federal American Rescue Plan Act Capital Projects Funds.

The 2023 Legislature appropriated $50 million for each of FY 2024 and FY 2025.