Arvig Line Extension grants to provide fiber-to-the-home to 406 unserved structures

/EIN News/ -- PERHAM, Minn., March 27, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- More than 400 structures in rural Minnesota will soon have high-speed internet access as Arvig plans to invest recently awarded grants from the state’s Broadband Line Extension Connection Program in a last-mile fiber-to-the-home project.

Arvig was awarded grants totaling $3,303,607 from the Line Extension program after submitting successful lowest-cost bids to serve 406 locations. 

The locations and number of structures served will be:

• Rose Lake, Dodo Lake and Lake Elora, near Cotton: 139 structures
• Buffalo Lake, north of Detroit Lakes: 96 structures
• West of Rock Lake, north of Detroit Lakes: 43 structures
• North of Lake Osakis: 32 structures
• North of Long Prairie: 22 structures
• South of Detroit Lakes: 14 structures
• North of Browerville: 8 structures
• Johnson Lake Lane, south of Detroit Lakes: 8 structures
• North of Henning: 7 structures
• West of Wood Lake: 6 structures
• Hubble Pond, near Rochert: 6 structures
• Northeast of Redwood Falls: 5 structures
• Northwest of Detroit Lakes: East Oak Lake Drive: 5 structures
• Klein Road, north of Detroit Lakes: 4 structures
• South of Grand Meadow: 3 structures
• East of Long Prairie: 2 structures
• North of Sauk Centre: 2 structures
• Park Rapids: 1 structure
• Clements: 1 structure
• Callaway: 1 structure
• Rochert: 1 structure
  

Arvig will invest $394,000 to cover additional project costs, bringing the total project cost to $3,697,907. About 70 miles of fiber will be constructed, with all 21 locations combined. Work on the line extensions is set to begin in spring 2025, with construction targeted for completion by November 2025.

The program requires locations to be served with internet speeds of at least 100 Mbps download and 100 Mbps upload. Arvig expects to exceed that requirement, with plans to provide locations access to speeds of up to 1 Gig download and 100Mbps upload. 

A location is considered unserved if it lacks access to a wired service with at least 25 Mbps download and 3 Mbps upload speed.

"Bringing fiber to remote areas presents unique challenges, but these grants from the Line Extension Connection Program help offset the higher cost of deployment," said David Arvig, Vice President and COO at Arvig. "These locations will soon have a high-quality, fast internet connection, and this project is a great step forward in closing the broadband gap in rural Minnesota."

The Line Extension Connection program, administered by the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED), was created to bridge the gap in connecting homes and businesses just out of reach of existing last-mile infrastructure.

Created in 2022, with a budget of $15 million, the program invites residents and business owners to submit applications if they lack a wired connection with access to internet speeds of at least 25 Mbps download and 3 Mbps upload, which is considered unserved. Internet service providers then bid on the applications and are awarded grant funding based on the number of successful bids.

More information about how to apply for the program is available at https://mn.gov/deed/programs-services/broadband/extension. For assistance completing the application or to request a paper form, call 651-259-7610 or email DEED.broadband@state.mn.us.

About Arvig

Arvig is a local, employee-owned broadband and full-service telecommunications provider headquartered in Perham, Minnesota. Committed to delivering cutting-edge technology to customers throughout the region, Arvig provides residential and business internet, television, phone, security, and mobile services. Additionally, Arvig provides a wide variety of business technology solutions. Visit arvig.com for additional information.

Media Contact:
Rachel Laudenbach, Communications Manager
Arvig | 150 Second Street SW
218.346.8653 | Rachel.Laudenbach@arvig.com