A $4.3M project, under the guidance of Lyle MacVey (CTO), NESC received its first and possibly only MN Border to Border grant. It represented another unique public and private sector joint venture where both group benefited from the middle mile extension and last mile infrastructure that subsequently built. Four entities; NESC, USDA, State of MN and Frontier combined efforts to fund the project.
The following is from the Executive summary of the grant at the time the application was submitted.
“The NESC / Frontier Border to Border – Phase 1 project represents a public/private partnership where NESC recently is in near completion of the USDA MN1111-A40 Middle Mile Fiber Project. Frontier is the incumbent carrier for large areas within Lake and St Louis County in northeast MN. NESC and Frontier have teamed up to bring Very high speed Digital Subscriber Line (VDSL2) technology that harnesses and leverages both the existing fiber and copper infrastructures.
The Total Project will cost an estimated $4,801,740.64 when complete. This includes new fiber optic construction that extends the fiber from the Middle Mile network to the Digital Subscriber Access Multiplexor (DSLAM) locations. As part of the solution to upgrade the copper based subscriber, new DSLAM equipment will also be deployed. The project requests a total of $2,400,000 from the MN DEED Border to Border Grant Program. Representing 50% of the total project cost. Match funding will come from NESC ($150,000.00), Frontier ($750,000.00) and Iron Range Resource and Rehabilitation Board ($1,500.000).
The project will provide broadband service to areas considered unserved under the FCC 4M/1M speed rating. It will provide up to 100Mbps for subscribers within a short range of the DSLAM. Initially, new broadband service tiers of up to 40Mbps that exceed the State of MN 10M/5M speed goals will be offered as well. Subscribers will be able to attain the MN broadband goal of 10M/5M service provided they are within the required copper distance from the DSLAM. ALL subscribers will have vastly improved broadband service with 6/1, 12/2 and 24/2Mbps asymmetrical service offerings and meet the FCC latest broadband national goals.
While Frontier exchanges have more than 9400 households passed, the project will have an immediate impact to more than 1,500 subscribers and is anticipated to hit a subscriber mark of 2,262 in the near term. Twenty three (23) Townships will have Town Halls and/or Fire departments connected directly to the MN1111-A40 Middle Mile network. This will allow improved emergency service connectivity. Approximately 97 miles of new fiber construction will be added throughout various services areas. This represents a sizable amount of fiber to support future fiber to the home expansions. This project represents a solid solution to a first step in meeting NE Minnesota’s rural broadband needs.”