News and Events

May 15, 2024 – Forest Lake, MN: Midco is holding a groundbreaking event at noon on May 22 to celebrate its investment in bringing a new option for internet and TV services to the Forest Lake community. 

Community members and leaders will join Midco team members in turning the first shovels of dirt to kick off the build and stay to enjoy lunch and each other’s company. The event will take place at 5530 206th St. N. in Forest Lake. 

Midco is investing $1.2 million in private capital toward the $2.2 million total project cost, with the remaining funds being provided by a State of Minnesota Border-to-Border Broadband Grant and the City of Forest Lake. This partnership will expand Midco’s FTTP (Fiber-to-the-Premises) service to 330 unserved and underserved homes and businesses in Forest Lake. All of Forest Lake will be able to receive service by January 2025. This network expansion will combine Midco’s blazing fast speeds (up to 5 Gbps symmetrical) and low latency, with its best-in-class customer experience. 

Forest Lake Mayor Mara Bain said, "The City of Forest Lake is appreciative of our long-standing partnership with Midco and the vital communications service they provide to our residents and businesses. We congratulate them on this groundbreaking milestone, which is made possible by the Border-to-Border Broadband Grant through the Office of Broadband Development. We look forward to the completion of this project and the resulting city-wide access to Midco services by January 2025 - truly a milestone to be celebrated!"

“Broadband provides unrivaled flexibility for workers and businesses of all sizes, helps develop local economies across the state, and it’s a lifeline for Minnesota students, families and communities," said Bree Maki, Executive Director of the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development’s Office of Broadband Development. "We're proud to award grants to broadband providers like Midco that help us foster more connected communities and ensure Minnesotans stay connected to the people who matter most.”

“No matter where our customers live, they deserve quality internet and TV services. Midco covers more of the Midwest than ever before – and we’re continuing to expand! We look forward to contributing to the Forest Lake community and being part of its growth,” said Midco Chief Operating Officer Ben Dold. 

The Forest Lake project is just one portion of Midco’s ongoing expansion in this region. In fact, within 13 miles of this project, Midco has additional projects in the communities of May Township, Scandia, Chisago Lake Township, Wyoming and Columbus. In 2024 and 2025, this expansion will lead to Midco connecting nearly 1,400 previously underserved addresses to FTTP services. These projects represent a $4.1 million investment by Midco and a combination of public-private partnerships with the Minnesota Office of Broadband Development, Washington County, Chisago County, the City of Forest Lake and the City of Wyoming, totaling another $4.4 million. These exciting projects speak to the importance of strong partnerships to close Minnesota’s digital divide. 

Learn more: https://www.midco.com/about/service-areas/forest-lake/

*This project is being supported, in whole or in part, by federal award number CPFFN0179 awarded to the State of Minnesota by the U.S. Department of the Treasury.