Comcast, Rural Telephone Companies and Electric Cooperatives Won Big in Latest Minnesota Broadband Awards

Rural electric cooperatives, rural telephone companies, and Comcast were the biggest winners in the latest broadband funding announcement from the state of Minnesota. The awards were made on June 30, 2023, although it isn’t clear if an announcement was released at that time. The biggest winner was Federated Rural Electric Association, which was awarded a $7 million grant in the Low Density Broadband Grant Program. The next biggest winners were Paul Bunyan Rural Telephone and Comcast, both of whom will receive about $5.5 million. Paul Bunyan’s award also came through the low density program, while Comcast’s funding came through two awards in the Border-to-Border Broadband Development Grant Program. Both programs. cover some of the costs of deploying broadband in rural areas. In addition, funding recipients are required to contribute matching funds. Minnesota awarded over $66.8 million in the two programs in the announcement. Matching funds will bring the total that will be invested to almost $138.5 million.