Broadband rolls farther into the Iron Range, Minnesota

The broadband landscape across Northeastern Minnesota, and the state in general, has changed significantly since 2014, as gains made in providing access to high-speed connectivity populate communities like the Iron Range. It comes at a time when such internet connections have become critical in business, education, and often in day-to-day life. The Northeast Service Cooperative (NESC) in Mountain Iron, Minnesota is one of nine Minnesota service cooperatives and has designed and built a fiber-optic backbone for underserved and unserved areas. NESC initially built an 865-mile fiber optic network across St. Louis, Lake, Cook, Koochiching, Carlton, Pine, Itasca, and Aitkin counties. The Northeast Fiber Network originally tapped a $43.5 million federally funded grant/loan project in 2010 through the US Department of Agriculture Rural Utilities. Such fiber optic infrastructure is often called the “middle mile” – the physical portion that enables internet connectivity with a network capable of handling future needs and technological advances. Coupled with the high quality of life on the Iron Range, high-speed internet access looks to attract more residents – especially those who can work anywhere – and more jobs.