Arvig to Invest Border-to-Border Grant into Elk River-Area Fiber Network
Arvig has been awarded a $217,061 grant from the State of Minnesota’s Border to Border Broadband program which it will invest in a fiber infrastructure project that will expand high-speed internet access near rural Elk River in Sherburne County.
Arvig plans to construct a mainline and last-mile fiber network to bring internet service to 27 unserved and 15 underserved structures by Elk Lake Road, near the new fire station and on the west side of Twin Lakes by Nowthen.
The total project cost for the network is estimated at $542,651, with funding from the Border to Border grant and a matching investment of $162,795 each from Arvig and Sherburne County.
When complete, the network will provide residents with internet speeds from 100Mbps (20 Mbps upload) up to 10 Gbps (1 Gbps upload), meeting and exceeding Minnesota’s 2026 state speed goal.
“One of Arvig’s biggest priorities is reaching unserved and underserved communities across Minnesota,” said Director of Business Development & Sales at Arvig. “By expanding broadband access in these rural areas, we’re looking forward to giving residents an opportunity to enjoy the benefits of some of the highest-quality broadband speeds available.”
Construction on the network will begin as soon as the grant is awarded and all are slated for completion before June of 2025.
The Border-to-Border Broadband program is administered by the Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED)’s Office of Broadband Development. Arvig has participated in the program since its inception in 2014.
In total, 61 broadband expansion projects around Minnesota will receive a share of $99.6 million in grants from the Border-to-Border Broadband program, representing the largest single investment in broadband in the state’s history, according to the governor’s office.
A full list of grant awards by project is available on DEED’s website.
About Arvig
Headquartered in Perham, Minnesota, Arvig is a local, employee-owned broadband and full-service telecommunications provider. Committed to delivering cutting-edge technology to customers throughout the region, Arvig provides residential internet, television, and telephone services. Additionally, Arvig provides a wide variety of business technology solutions. Visit arvig.com for additional information.