Federal Broadband Funding to Connect 89,000 Minnesotans

The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development announced today that nearly 89,000 Minnesota homes and businesses could receive new high-speed broadband service through the state's $652 million federal Broadband Equity Access and Deployment allocation. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration has formally accepted DEED's proposed map of final eligible locations that BEAD funding could serve. During this so-called Challenge Process, DEED identified 88,700 locations that qualify as unserved or underserved. DEED's Office of Broadband Development now invites internet providers to submit prequalification information about their future applications to use BEAD grant funds to expand broadband services.