Madison, WI – On April 12, 2018 Governor Scott Walker awarded the largest round of broadband grants in state history totaling 7.5 million which was leveraged to $19,000,471.00 with private matching funds. Forty-five expansion projects will extend high-speed internet access to as many as 1,600 business locations and 18,000 residential locations. In addition, Governor Walker announced the opening of the application process for the next round of grants with seven million to be awarded.

“Broadband has endless potential to help Wisconsin communities,” said Governor Walker.

“Years ago, electricity revolutionized farming for my grandparents. Today broadband is revolutionizing farming, education, health care, and improving the day to day lives of Wisconsin rural residents. With this historic round of grants, we are another step closer to connecting every Wisconsin Community.”

Governor Walker has awarded 55 broadband expansion grants since taking office totaling $5,452,000.

Bevcomm, formerly Indianhead Telephone Company, was awarded $134,516 and will deploy fiber to the premise to 119 homes and businesses in the Island Lake area of Rusk County and have plans to break ground in late 2018.

St Paul, MN – Lt. Governor Tina Smith and the Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) today announced the 2017 Border-to-Border Broadband Grant recipients. The grants total $26 million for 39 broadband infrastructure projects that will provide 9,973 households, 2,169 businesses, and 60 community institutions across Minnesota access to reliable, affordable high-speed internet.

The funding, which was approved during the 2017 legislative sessions, goes to broadband providers and communities to build out wireline and fixed wireless broadband infrastructure to unserved and underserved locations across the state.

“Access to quality, affordable broadband is a tool that levels the playing field for Minnesotans all across the state,” said DEED Commissioner Shawntera Hardy. “This funding, and the private investment leveraged from it, will soon allow even more individuals, communities and businesses the opportunity to access the internet at speeds that meet today’s demands.”

Bevcomm has been awarded $545,220 for fiber expansion projects in rural Delavan, Freeborn, and Granada, MN. The projects will allow for faster Internet with download speeds up to a Gigabit. Bevcomm will begin construction in 2018. More specific details follow:

Bevcomm (Easton Telephone Company)

This project will serve 25 households and 30 businesses in the southeastern rural Delavan area. The total eligible project cost is $565,000, with a $344,650 investment from Bevcomm.

Bevcomm (Cannon Valley Telephone)

This project will serve 15 households and 17 businesses in the rural Freeborn area, and completing a build-out started two years ago. The total eligible project cost is $314,000, with a $191,540 investment fromBevcomm.

Bevcomm (Granada Telephone Company)

This project will serve 35 households and 21 businesses in the rural Granada area located in Martin County, completing a build-out started a year ago. The total eligible project cost is $519,000, with a $316,590 investment fromBevcomm.

Great news for BEVCOMM and many broadband providers in Minnesota!! Lt. Governor Tina Smith and the Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) today announced grants totaling $34 million for 42 broadband infrastructure projects that will provide 16,627 households, 2,240 businesses, and 71 community institutions across Minnesota access to reliable, affordable high-speed internet. The new state funding will help level the playing field for households and businesses in Greater Minnesota by providing them access the same opportunities available to urban area residents.

BEVCOMM has been awarded nearly $650,000 for the following expansion projects. Thank you MN Office of Broadband and all who support us!

• Granada Telephone Co. (dba BEVCOMM), South Rural Granada – $157,920. This project will serve 26 unserved households and 14 unserved businesses in the rural Granada area in Martin County. Granada Telephone will provide advanced broadband services to farms and residences in the area. The total eligible project cost is $394,800, with a $236,880 investment from BEVCOMM.

• Blue Earth Valley Telephone Co. (dba BEVCOMM), Rural Winnebago – $152,828. This project will serve 18 unserved households (including farms), 8 unserved businesses, 2 underserved households and three underserved businesses in rural Winnebago in Faribault County. Blue Earth Valley Telephone will improve services that will help livestock and grain farmers in the region. The total eligible project cost is $382,070, with a $229,242 investment from BEVCOMM.

• Cannon Valley Telecom Inc. (dba BEVCOMM), Rural Freeborn – $150,700. This project will serve 10 unserved households, six unserved businesses, nine underserved households and six underserved businesses in the rural Freeborn area in Freeborn County. The Cannon Valley Telecom project will improve access to health care and education. The total eligible project cost is $376,750, with a $226,050 investment from BEVCOMM.

• Eckles Telephone Co. (dba BEVCOMM), Rural Heidelberg – $188,000. This project will serve 51 unserved households, seven unserved businesses, 40 underserved households and four underserved businesses in rural Heidelberg in Le Sueur County. Eckles Telephone Co. will build a network that will enable farmers to access applications and tools to make their operations more efficient and enhance crop production. The project also will improve access to health care and education. The total eligible project cost is $470,000, with a $282,000 investment from BEVCOMM.

Nov 20, 2015 – ST. PAUL – Lt. Governor Tina Smith and the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) today announced that $11 million in grants have been awarded for projects to expand broadband access in 15 Greater Minnesota communities. Lt. Governor Smith made the announcement at the Blandin Foundation’s “Border to Border Broadband: Better Together” Conference, “We need border-to-border broadband Internet access to build an economy that works for all Minnesotans,” said Lt. Governor Tina Smith. “Broadband Internet access isn’t just nice, it’s necessary for Minnesota businesses to grow and our students to thrive. While these grants are a good start, significant need remains.”

This broadband funding was awarded under DEED’s Border-to-Border Broadband Development Grant Program, which Governor Mark Dayton signed into law in May 2014. This year, DEED received 44 applications for funding, totaling more than $29 million in requests. Recipients were selected based on an internal review and scoring process.

The latest round of broadband grants will improve access to high-speed broadband for 3,222 households, 786 businesses and nearly 90 community institutions throughout the state.

“By gaining access to broadband, these rural communities will increase economic development, improve living standards and enhance education and public services,” said DEED Commissioner Katie Clark Sieben. “While we are pleased to assist in the development of these projects, there are many other communities waiting to receive access to high speed Internet and additional resources are urgently needed.”

Now in its second year, the program’s first round of funding awarded $19.4 million to 17 Greater Minnesota communities in February of this year.

BEVCOMM Cannon Valley Telecom, Rural Freeborn Fiber-to-the-Premises Project, $149,625 The project will build out broadband infrastructure to provide high-speed Internet service to 43 households and one business in rural Freeborn in south-central Minnesota’s Freeborn County. Total project costs are $393,750. BEVCOMM will cover the remaining $244,125 (62 percent local match).

Community and Economic Development Impact: The project will support various home-based businesses, stimulate economic growth, and encourage innovation and investment. Education, health care, energy efficiency and public safety will improve with high-speed Internet access. The greatest economic development potential of the project will be in crop and livestock production, including advancement in bin monitoring systems, livestock feed and environment monitoring, security, video surveillance and energy management.

BEVCOMM Blue Earth Valley Telephone, Rural Winnebago Fiber-to-the-Premises Project, $142,690 The project will provide high-speed Internet service to 30 unserved households and farms in rural Winnebago in Faribault County in south-central Minnesota. T otal project costs are $375,500. BEVCOMM will cover the remaining $232,810 (62 percent local match).

Community and Economic Development Impact: The project will stimulate home-based businesses, economic growth, and innovation and investment. Education, health care, energy efficiency and public safety will improve with high-speed Internet access. The greatest economic development potential will be in local crop and livestock production. Broadband investments will enable area farmers to access applications and tools to make their operations more efficient and enhance their crop production. A second benefit will be better health care, especially in emergency situations. First responders, paramedics and rural doctors will be able to share medical information and start vital treatment to a patient while an ambulance is en route to the hospital.

It has been announced that Bevcomm, headquartered in Blue Earth, MN, has acquired from Hector Communications, the Granada Telephone Company, Hager Telecom, Indianhead Telephone Company, and Pine Island Telephone Company.

The companies have entered into a definitive agreement under which Bevcomm will acquire ownership of each company on January 1, 2013. When the acquisition completes, Bevcomm will serve the communities of Granada, Pine Island, and Oronoco, located in Minnesota, and Hager City, Bay City, Weyerhaeuser, Exeland, and Radisson, located in Wisconsin. Each local office will remain open, and all existing employees will become employees ofBevcomm.

Bill Eckles, CEO of Bevcomm, commented, “We consider it a privilege to have the opportunity to serve these new communities. Bevcomm has a 120 year history of bringing technology to small rural communities. We consider it to be our responsibility to make sure the communities we serve are never left behind.”

Bevcomm provides local Telephone, High Speed Internet, Digital TV, and Business Solution Services in Blue Earth, Bricelyn, Delavan, Easton, Elmore, Freeborn, Frost, Guckeen, Granada, Huntley, Kiester, Minnesota Lake, Morristown, New Prague, Warsaw, Wells, Winnebago, and Stevens, IA.

It is Bevcomm’s mission to provide cutting-edge technology, high quality products and services, exceptional customer service, as well as fair and competitive rates.