Technology

Minneapolis Expands Fiber Access, Targets Remaining Unconnected Households

While most of the city enjoys high-speed fiber access, local digital inclusion efforts remain focused on bridging the gap for remaining households.

By Minneapolis Tech Desk · Published July 18, 2026

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This article was written by AI from the linked sources and was not reviewed by a journalist before publishing. The Daily Minneapolis is part of The Daily Network and follows our reasonable editorial care.

Minneapolis Expands Fiber Access, Targets Remaining Unconnected Households — Storyblocks

Minneapolis presents a complex landscape for residents and businesses navigating the city's digital infrastructure. As of mid-2026, the city benefits from widespread fiber optic availability, though data indicates that the path to universal connectivity continues to involve targeted planning and expansion efforts.

The Current State of Fiber Connectivity

Data regarding the city's infrastructure highlights a high level of fiber penetration. According to reporting, Minneapolis has 99% fiber access from multiple providers. Complementing this, Xfinity covers 99.3% of the city via cable, offering speeds reaching up to 2 Gbps. For users seeking the highest possible bandwidth, USI Fiber serves the area with speeds up to 10 Gbps (10,000 Mbps) for a monthly cost of $195. Meanwhile, Quantum Fiber makes 8 Gbps speeds available to approximately 43.9% of residents.

Technical performance metrics as of January 2026 place the median fixed broadband download speed in Minneapolis at 231.5 Mbps, with a corresponding upload speed of 65.34 Mbps. Among the providers evaluated, USI Fiber has demonstrated the lowest latency at 6 ms.

Digital Inclusion and Ongoing Expansion

Despite the high availability of high-speed services, gaps in access remain. As of 2022, approximately 35,000 households, or 19% of the city's population, lacked access to high-speed internet. To assist in addressing this, the city has maintained 117 free wireless hotspots available to the public.

Looking toward future infrastructure improvements, the Minnesota BEAD Program has allocated $652 million for broadband expansion across the state. This funding is specifically aimed at reaching 88,700 unserved locations. Minneapolis is currently included in the planning phases of this state-led initiative, which aims to further stabilize the regional digital environment for both startups and residential users.

Produced with AI assistance and reviewed against our editorial standards. Sources are linked where available. Spotted an error or need a correction? Contact [email protected].

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