Grant Award and Investment
Award administered by the U.S. Department of Commerce's National Telecommunication and Information Administration (NTIA).
NTIA Grant: $16.8 million
HickoryTech Investment: 30% or $7.2 million
Total Network Cost: $24 million
Network Route
Includes two fiber builds:
- Minneapolis/St. Paul to Duluth/Superior
- Brainerd to Moorhead
The network will be extended to provide middle-mile fiber laterals to serve partner sites.
Project Highlights
The focus of the network development is on providing high-capacity, low cost Ethernet services. The expansion will connect rural community anchor institutions throughout Minnesota.
- Network will directly benefit collaborative partners; Mayo Clinic, University of Minnesota, State of Minnesota.
- Network will provide access to affordable, high-capacity broadband services in rural Minnesota communities and create new jobs.
- Network includes construction of new fiber route miles connecting health care facilities, higher-education institutions, K-12 schools, libraries, public safety offices and state courts.
- Minnesota project, led by Minnesota-based company, will create jobs in Minnesota.
- Construction will begin in 2011 and be completed within three years.
Project Impact
- Statewide network will connect 36 rural Minnesota communities in 23 counties.
- The fiber network will deliver a minimum of 100 MB broadband Ethernet services to 74 community anchor institutions.
- More than 886,000 people living in 315,000 households will have access to these low-cost, high-capacity broadband services.
- Over 74,000 small and medium size businesses in Minnesota will also have access to this network.