Charter Communications and Kandiyohi County, Minnesota, to Bring Gigabit Broadband Connectivity to More Than 170 Unserved Homes

SPICER, Minn. – Charter Communications, Inc. and Kandiyohi County, Minnesota, today announced a $800,000 agreement that will bring gigabit internet connectivity to more than 170 rural, unserved homes and small businesses across the county.

The agreement, which includes nearly $240,000 in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding secured by the county, along with more than $560,000 in private investment from Charter, will enable the leading broadband connectivity provider to begin construction to reach more than 170 rural homes and small businesses across the county.

“Internet access has been an important issue in Kandiyohi County for many years. The pandemic highlighted the urgency to bring connectivity to those without it, and we are thankful to have federal funds to support this project and Charter’s efforts to expand its high-speed networks in our community. This brings us closer to closing the digital divide for good,” said Kandiyohi County Commissioner Roger Imdieke.

A ceremonial groundbreaking event was held today, along 141^St Avenue, NE in Spicer, bringing Charter representatives together with area officials to celebrate the partnerships that made this project possible and stress the shared commitment to expand broadband to unserved areas. Among the local leaders saluting the agreement were state Rep. Dave Baker, Kandiyohi County Commissioners Roder Imdieke and Rollie Nissen, along with Kandiyohi County Broadband Committee Chair Mark Boeschen.

Construction began on April 1 and is expected to be complete by the end of 2022. Once the project is complete, homes and businesses in the buildout area will have access to Spectrum Internet^®, which offers starting speeds of 200 Mbps with no modem fees, data caps or contracts, as well as plans with speeds available up to 1 Gbps. Residents will also have access to Spectrum-branded Mobile, TV and Voice services.

More residents will soon have access to a high-speed internet connection to work, learn, receive health care, and much more from home. This project is a success because of the collaboration between the county and Spectrum,” said Kandiyohi County Broadband Committee Chair Mark Boeschen.

“This investment builds on the work our teams have been doing to close the digital divide in Kandiyohi County and will bring gigabit broadband connectivity to thousands of residents and small businesses,” said Mike Jorgensen, Area Vice President of Field Operations at Charter. “We look forward to building our network and serving new customers.”

Charter Communications provides services to more than 170 communities across Minnesota and has large employment centers Rochester, Duluth, and Waite Park. In 2021 alone, Charter extended its network to reach an additional 10,000 homes and small businesses in Minnesota.

About Charter

Charter Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ:CHTR) is a leading broadband connectivity company and cable operator serving more than 31 million customers in 41 states through its Spectrum brand. Over an advanced communications network, the company offers a full range of state-of-the-art residential and business services including Spectrum Internet^®, TV, Mobile and Voice. For small and medium-sized companies, Spectrum Business^® delivers the same suite of broadband products and services coupled with special features and applications to enhance productivity, while for larger businesses and government entities, Spectrum Enterprise provides highly customized, fiber-based solutions. Spectrum Reach^® delivers tailored advertising and production for the modern media landscape. The company also distributes award-winning news coverage, sports and high-quality original programming to its customers through Spectrum Networks and Spectrum Originals. More information about Charter can be found at corporate.charter.com.

Media Contact

Kim Haas 

Kim.Haas@charter.com