News and Events

May 18, 2022 – International Falls, MN:

Fast and reliable connectivity is coming to International Falls, thanks to a partnership between Koochiching County, Koochiching Technology Initiative (KTI), North Star Electric Cooperative and Midco.

Once the three-phase project is complete in 2023, 231 International Falls homes along Rainy Lake and Highway 11, including Tilson and Frank Bay to Dove Point Island, will be at the epicenter of network performance. Area residents will benefit from fiber-to-the-premises design offering best-in-the-world symmetrical, low-latency connections capable of up to 5 Gbps. Phase 1 will be complete in 2022, bringing early access to 55 homes.

“Midco is proud to partner with Koochiching County, KTI and North Staron this investment in the International Falls community,” said Midco Chief Technology Officer Jon Pederson. “We’re committed to delivering the best technology available for a great online experience now and into the future.”

“Since 2018, Koochiching Technology Initiative’s mission has been bringing broadband availability to all homes and businesses in Koochiching County. Midco’s build is an area we identified early on as a priority, where there was very poor internet service and few prospects for it in the pipeline,” said KTI Chair Jim Yount. “This partnership will ensure Koochiching County residents have access to fast, high-quality broadband that will meet technology needs now and in the future.”

“Today’s infrastructure needs are more complex than ever before and investing in high-quality broadband infrastructure has been a top priority for the board,” stated Koochiching County Commissioner Jason Sjoblom. “This is an extraordinary opportunity to bring the fastest speeds in Minnesota right here to Koochiching County. With fiber directly to the home, residents and businesses can live here, work here and stay here. We appreciate and are very thankful for the collaborations, relationships and efforts by the county, KTI, North Star and Midco and the instrumental contributions of former Information Systems Director Jaci Nagle, to bring this project to fruition.”

The total project cost $1.4 million, with Koochiching County contributing 53%, using a portion of the county’s American Rescue Plan Act dollars available for broadband expansion, and Midco contributing 47%. North Star Electric is also critical to the project, working collaboratively with Midco to utilize existing broadband infrastructure in the project area.

Midco Gig is 35 times faster than the average high-speed internet and available at an affordable price. To find more information, visit Midco.com/InternationalFalls.