Posted by: Ann Treacy | January 31, 2012

Governor’s Task Force issues preliminary outline

The Department of Commerce just released the Minnesota Broadband Task Force’s Minnesota Broadband Plan Outline…

The Governor’s Task Force on Broadband today issued a preliminary report that will lay the groundwork for a comprehensive broadband action plan. The Minnesota Broadband Plan Outline issued today will guide the continuing work of the Task Force as it develops specific recommendations for achieving border-to-border broadband access and adoption in all Minnesota communities – urban, rural, and suburban.

Established by executive order, the Governor’s Task Force on Broadband – which represents a diverse balance of broadband interests including consumers, businesses, residential users, educational and health care institutions, traditional telephone and cable companies, wireless providers, and local units of government – has worked collaboratively over the last several months to develop this initial outline. The goal of this document is to provide an initial roadmap that will:

  • Move the state aggressively forward in efforts to meet the statutory broadband goals and Governor Dayton’s desire for ubiquitous broadband in Minnesota
  • Establish a Task Force work plan and timeline for 2012 and beyond
  • Ensure broadband stakeholders and policymakers are aware of how Minnesota is doing in its efforts to meet the state’s broadband goals
  • Introduce a set of recommendations that the Task Force believes will help to ensure Minnesota meets our broadband goals and becomes a national leader in developing the economic and social benefits of ubiquitous broadband

Included in the outline is an appendix that establishes a timeline for Task Force deliverables throughout the year, including the creation and submission of an Annual Report to be completed by December 10 of each year for the duration of the Task Force’s work. That Annual Report will consistently provide the state an ability to benchmark Minnesota’s efforts toward achieving our 2015 goals as established by statute.

I hope to take a longer  later - especially at the Appendix, which include a detailed list of ongoing activities and details on upcoming reports. One thing that caught my eye was a desired to keep the Legislators in the loop…

The Task Force will engage Minnesota’s Congressional delegation by providing them with updates on Task Force activity and associated research and reports on the state of broadband in Minnesota.

I hope that will help raise the issue and raise the level of discussion around the state.

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Posted in Minnesota Advisory Task Force, MN, Policy

Posted by: Ann Treacy | January 30, 2012

Stillwater doing Flipped Math: Good, Bad, Unfair?

I read an article last week in the Burnsville Patch that got me thinking, starting with the opening sentence…

The Internet has opened up a world of at-home learning opportunities, but how much should we rely on those when many families still don’t have Internet access?

The author spoke about flipped math classes now offered to fifth graders in Stillwater, MN, where students watch video lessons at home and spend class time working on problems – or what many of us traditionally think of as homework. (Khan Academy is one of the most famous flipped class structures.) I suppose it’s not surprising that I think flipped classrooms are a great idea but it was interesting to read an article that pointed out potential issues with the structure – the first being access to broadband.

Access to broadband – and home computers – is undeniably a big barrier for the flipped classroom. But I’d like to see that as an opportunity to work with families to get them beyond that roadblock to : 1) provide computers and/or lower cost broadband access in a perfect world or 2) provide after-school access to the technology in the school as a Plan B. Otherwise I think we’re playing to the lowest technology common denominator rather than trying to raise the bar for everyone. That not only cheats the students, it seems like a bad investment in our community.

Ironically, Stillwater’s Flipped Classroom website describes the move towards flipped learning as a move away from targeting the lower common denominator…

A traditional teaching technique for math is one where the primary purpose of the classroom time is for the teacher to present content. Generally, the pacing of the content targets the average or slower learner.

I’m excited to see that Stillwater has chosen the road less taken to raise the potential for all of their fifth graders.

The author asks a second question that doesn’t directly involve technology as much as I think touch upon a byproduct technology has brought to modern life…

When society is already wringing its hands about how much homework is appropriate, what would it mean to place so much of the burden of learning on the home?

I don’t know if more time is spent working on “homework” in the flipped model versus the traditional model. I do know that last night’s homework for my oldest kid involved her saying – “quiz me on cells”. If you have a middle schooler, you know that general knowledge does not help much. They need their quiz answers to match the reading exactly. Even the younger kid’s homework started with “you know Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day”. Frankly, I feel I could pass an essay test on Alexander – but not a pop quiz.

So I can tell you that as a parent, I think watching the video with the student would save my time. I feel like it would save their time too – because we wouldn’t be barking up wrong trees and we wouldn’t be making drives back to school for the text-book because “Google answers aren’t allowed”. And I feel like it would be preparing my kids for tools that are being used in the workplace today. Think about it – when is the last time you watched a video to learn something; now when it the last time you picked up a reference book. (As I librarian I type that with some sadness, but I type it.) Part of the benefit of the flipped classroom is preparing kids for technology of this century, not last century.

The other point the author raises is that school shouldn’t bleed into the whole day…

But students also have lives outside of school. They play sports. They participate in church groups. They join clubs.

In some ways I think that’s the most compelling argument – but I think where you land on that issue probably aligns with how you feel about the workday bleeding into the whole day. In this case, yes technology does potentially make for more hours of work for a kid – but just as with an increasing number of work schedules, perhaps that hours could become more flexible. So perhaps I find this criticism most compelling because it highlights the fact that so many opportunities present themselves in education when we use technology that it challenges us to reevaluate traditional teaching methods. That’s exciting and scary – but again I think to not challenge the “regular” way will leave our children unprepared for the new century.

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Posted in Broadband Applications, education, MN

Posted by: Ann Treacy | January 28, 2012

Up to 1000 Mbps broadband available in Lakefield

Thanks to John Shepard for the heads up on the update on Southwest Minnesota Broadband Service. I am impressed at how smoothly the ARRA-funded project seems to be rolling out – and just as impressed with the media attention. I think it helps to increase adoption – or at least interest – to follow the progress as closely at the SW papers have done. Here’s the latest update from the Worthington Daily Globe…

By the end of January, about 300 Lakefield residents will enjoy a range telecommunication services powered by fiber-optic cables.

And here’s the tidbit that caught my eye this morning…

Personalized higher speed Internet up to 1000 Mbps is available to customers upon request.

I love my house and my neighborhood – but 1000 Mbps could have me checking out open houses!

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Posted in FTTH, MN, Rural

Posted by: Ann Treacy | January 26, 2012

Rochester Getting Smart on Public Safety

CivSource reports on Rochester Minnesota and a public safety project they are working on with IBM as part of their broader Smarter Cities initiative…

In Rochester, the Rochester Police department will use advanced analytics software from IBM to mine, share and extract intelligence from critical data in order to improve police investigative and prevention programs. Law enforcement will then be able to identify local “hot spots,” and allocate resources in advance.

The application, IBM InfoSphere Identity Insight, provides users with specific data from existing law enforcement and public safety databases to aid in investigations and prevention. “The technology will allow law enforcement officials to see broad patterns about activity in their city and focus on prevention,” Cleverley explains.

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Posted in Government, MN

Posted by: Ann Treacy | January 25, 2012

Computer Refurbishing bus to tour rural Minnesota

I’m happy to share this story from a MIRC (Minnesota Intelligent Rural Communities) partner. We got a small flavor of what their mobile computer rehab project at the 2011 Minnesota Broadband Conference. It appears that despite a few hiccups – the opening night has led to a touring show…

Saint Paul, Minnesota nonprofit organization PCs for People is leading a mobile computer refurbishing project funded by the Blandin Foundation, Otto Bremer Foundation and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). The project seeks to reduce electronic waste while simultaneously helping bridge the digital divide in greater Minnesota.

“We have created a mobile unit to travel to cities across the State of Minnesota, refurbish donated computers on-site and give them right back to families in the local community”, said Casey Sorensen Executive Director of PCs for People. “We are very excited about the project, last month we gave 113 computers to families in Duluth and saw overwhelming demand. Families were extremely grateful since over 80% were receiving their first home computer!” noted Casey. Over the next 7 months PCs for People will travel to 10 communities to replicate the successful Duluth event:

  1. Alexandria
  2. Bemidji
  3. Crookston
  4. Fairmont
  5. Austin
  6. Marshall
  7. Hutchinson/Litchfield
  8. Faribault/Rice County
  9. Cambridge
  10. Hibbing

The project will focus on getting computers to two demographics that generally do not own home PCs; low income families and senior citizens. Recipients are identified through partnerships with local community organizations such as Boys and Girls Clubs, Head Start programs and Senior Centers. To be eligible for a computer each recipient attends a basic computer training session and they must be below the 150% poverty level.

Two critical components to making sure the computer is useful are an internet connection and ongoing technical support. Each computer comes with free support from a local computer repair shop and self-paced basic computer skills training. For internet, recently ISPs such as Comcast and CentruyLink have created $10 a month high speed internet programs exclusively for low income households. Sorensen said, “Families that receive a computer through our organization have never had the opportunity to search for jobs or use search engines from their homes. It is a big deal for them.” With an average income under $12,000 per year recipient families generally can’t afford $50-60 a month for internet. Sorensen mentioned, “In most cases families want a computer for the Internet and for school work. Even though they can’t afford the most expensive service we have found they are able to prioritize a $10-20 internet bill.”

According to Michael Graif, project lead for PCs for People’s Mobile Refurbishing, finding people in need of a computer is the easy part. “What we need now to make sure these events are successful is to find local businesses willing to donate their old computers.” Prior to arrival in each city, PCs for People will reach out to local businesses to source at least 100 computers. “This is a win-win for businesses needing to manage their end-of-lifecycle digital assets in a cost-effective way, and for the community,” said Michael Graif. “Not only are we offering businesses valuable data wiping and hardware recycling services for free, but it’s an opportunity to help their local community.”

Businesses looking to participate in the program and donate their equipment should contact Michael Graif at: mgraif@pcsforpeople.com This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or by calling (651) 243-0093.

PCs for People, a non-profit organization dedicated to collecting and refurbishing used computers for distribution to those who lack this essential communication and education tool. Since 1998, the organization has distributed refurbished computers to over 10,000 Minnesota families.

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Posted in Digital Divide, MIRC, Rural

Posted by: Ann Treacy | January 24, 2012

Minnesota Broadband Task Force Jan 24: Full Notes

Today I attended the Minnesota Broadband Task Force at TIES. They were finalizing their report to the Department of Commerce, which is an outline of what they plan to do to promote and support broadband expansion moving forward. The report is due at the end of the month.

Most of the time the group was focused on looking at a draft report that had been created by staff based on notes from the last meeting. The plan is to use these notes to create a final version of the report – and from the report they will create a spreadsheet of tasks to help guide their progress throughout the year. It sounds very similar to how the National Broadband Plan was rolled out.

To help track the discussion, in bold I have abbreviated the high level goal being discussed. These aren’t the official notes so I didn’t want to retype the whole document – but did want to provide enough context for the discussion to make sense – even if you weren’t there.

Read on for the full notes… Read More…

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Posted in Conferences, Minnesota Advisory Task Force, MN, Policy

Posted by: Ann Treacy | January 23, 2012

Rural Vitality, New Economic Strategies and the Role of Broadband

Sometimes ideas seem to fall into synch from odd places. Earlier this week Jennifer Bevis at Blandin Foundation sent me some interesting articles. One on the value of social media (Has Social Media Impacted Economic Development for Communities?) and one on the return of youth to rural communities (‘Brain Drain’: Put a Stopper in Your Mouth).

We were talking (emailing) a little but about how those articles were connected. I think both speak to a great schism in economic development strategies.

Information Channels as Economic Development Tools

The first article talks about the shift from an economy based on dollar value vs an economy based on knowledge. Specifically the article looks at Twitter. It’s difficult to monetize the value of Twitter and Tweets – because the value isn’t in the technology; the article claims that the value is in the database of information that’s being collected.

Tweets are unique bits of information in that their lifespan is brief. So even the value of the information is sort of misstating the value. (Although I’m sure there is value to be gleaned from looking back at Twitter trends.) The real value lies in that stream of information – and immediate access to users. The value will be reaped by those who listen, act or react to the information.

So we’re seeing a change in the value chain. Value shifts from that which we can monetize today, to information – and I’d claim to information channels. Folks who have access to technology and broadband have access to those channels. Others do not and will therefore be at a disadvantage – regardless of what else they do. (You can get the information – but that’s yesterday’s coin of the realm – today you need to have access to the source.)

A great underpinning in this shift is that money loses its value once it’s spent. If I have a dollar, I can keep it or give it to you. We can’t both have it. With information, we can both have it. And I think folks who learn to retain the value while sharing have the greatest opportunity to succeed in today’s economy.

The Recipe for Success Has Changed

The second article dispels the myth of the “rural brain drain” by telling two stories. First the story of the smart rural people who never left. Second by telling the story of the people who left for the promise of something bigger beyond, who are not finding that the rules have changed. Young people are leaving school and there are not enough jobs to fill. Families are finding that the security and homes they built are slipping away with economic uncertainty. These people are looking for new opportunities for success and rural areas are part of the equation. (I would defer to Ben Winchester’s research on the “Brain Gain” to back up this point.)

The author of this article makes the point that rural communities saw the economic uncertainty before other areas – and one positive reaction has been the birth of the New Farmers – fueled by, “first, an increasing consumer preference for locally grown and organic food and second, the economic downturn and increased unemployment.”

While this article doesn’t mention technology, I read with technology-colored glasses, and I remember speaking with a “New Farmer” about her use of broadband. It was an essential utility for her. There were many things she was able to give up to start her new rural life, but broadband was not one of them.

Also I think that success in rural and urban areas requires a connection between the two worlds. There is a report from Minnesota Rural Partners that quantifies the economic connection between rural and urban Minnesota – but even more directly I think that broadband removes the barrier of geographic distance that in the past has also kept an economic distance between rural and urban. I think rural communities felt this first and not in a positive way. Consider local bookshops closing once Amazon emerged. But I think that local entrepreneurs are realizing that broadband goes both ways. Or at least those who have access to broadband are able to realize that it’s a two-way street, which brings us back to the original article. Broadband opens a new channel for commerce – but it also opens the door to accessing the information channels.

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Posted in economic development, Rural

Posted by: Ann Treacy | January 22, 2012

Broadband brings us better hockey

Here’s some fun news for the weekend, apparently AT&T and The Wild have cooked up a special iPhone app for fans coming to the game. According to their press release…

Using the arena’s Wi-Fi, the Minnesota Wild App enhances the fan experience during games at Xcel Energy Center with a number of unique features, including:

Food Ordering: Hungry fans can use this interactive feature to locate vendors throughout the Xcel Energy Center and even place food orders from their seats and be notified by text when their order is ready to be picked up. Xcel Energy Center is the first venue in the Twin Cities market to use this technology.

Live In-Stadium Instant Replays: Minnesota Wild fans attending a game at the Xcel Energy Center can access instant replays not shown on TV or the center-hung scoreboard.

Fan Zone: This feature provides integrated social networking that lets users inside the arena join groups, post updates and more.

Arena Guide: This venue map helps fans find what amenities are near their seats.

Additional features that are available to fans inside or outside the arena include:
Team Information and News: Sports fans at home and at the Xcel Energy Center can stay on top of their team with a player roster, stats and news right at their fingertips.

Access to Social Networking Sites: Easy access to the Minnesota Wild on Twitter, Facebook and Foursquare.

Events Calendar: Fans inside and outside the arena have access to a calendar of sponsored events at the arena.
MyWildNet: Games, arena information, replays and more can be accessed via the app.

“The Minnesota Wild App allows Wild fans to follow their team at an unprecedented level,” said Jim Ibister, Vice President, Facility Administration/General Manager, Saint Paul RiverCentre. “Whether at Xcel Energy Center or at home, fans can stay connected with latest Wild news and statistics at the touch of a fingertip.”

The Minnesota Wild App is available for free from the App Store on iPhone or at www.itunes.com/appstore.

I won’t pretend like the replays would be a big hit with me – but anything that shortens the food line, has to be good!

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Posted in Broadband Applications, economic development, MN

Posted by: Ann Treacy | January 21, 2012

SW Minnesota: the Ups & Downs of ARRA

I’ve been tracking progress of fiber deployment by the Southwest Minnesota Broadband Group (SMBG). It is an ARRA-funded project that is bringing fiber to homes in the following communities:

  • Bingham Lake,
  • Brewster
  • Heron Lake
  • Jackson
  • Lakefield
  • Okabena
  • Round Lake
  • Wilder

The project has been going very well – and even hooked up their first customer in December. So that part of Southwest Minnesota is going strong.

Unfortunately, according to Watch Dog, not all of Southwestern Minnesota is faring as well..

The recipient of a major federal stimulus grant and loan in southwestern Minnesota appears to be having second thoughts about proceeding with a broadband project spread out over three counties. The $15 million project which planned to expand broadband service in 15 communities may be in danger of going into the financial red zone, apparently due at least in part to the escalating costs of fiber optic cable.

Woodstock Telephone Company was approved by the Rural Utilities Service (RUS) to receive a $10.6 million grant and a $4.5 million loan from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) to expand its fiber network by installing Fiber-to-the-Premise (FTTP) to an additional 3,600 premises in Lyon, Pipestone and Rock counties.

While there’s evidently been no formal announcement, the Minneota city administrator told the Freedom Foundation of Minnesota (FFM) that Woodstock Telephone informed her the company no longer intends to build a key facility in their community to house equipment for the network. FFM calls to Woodstock Telephone had not been returned at the time of this post.

I haven’t spoken to Woodstock, but I spoke to others who also indicated that Woodstock seemed as if it was running into some roadblocks.

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Posted in FTTH, Funding, MN, Rural | Tags:

Posted by: Ann Treacy | January 20, 2012

Sibley County keeps on broadband path

Last night I attended the public meeting of the Joint Powers in Sibley County to hear about their progress towards getting broadband in their area. They have been working on this for quite a while. The local governments (cities and county) have been working together through the Joint Powers to pursue a solution that would bring fiber to the area – and by area I mean cities, townships and farms.

Last night was an opportunity for the public and elected officials to hear from the various project partners. Each partner gave a presentation on their role and progress and/or plan for their role in the project.

There were well over 100 people there. Closer to 150, I’m sure – despite the fact that it was a bitterly cold night.

I took outline-type notes on the presentations – mostly because I thought it might inform and inspire other communities who are (or should be) looking at creating broadband options. Towards inspiration, I wish that I had a camera on Gary Evans from HBC, he spoke passionately about the need for broadband. I’ll paraphrase just one of his remarks…

“Broadband is an essential utility for a community. And the window for bringing it in to remain vital is closing.”

Here are some of the quick takes from the project…

Their plan is to bring FTTH. If all goes well, they’d like to build the backbone this year and start bringing it to residents next year. The estimate cost is $50 million; they are looking for revenue bonding for $70 million. (Revenue bonds are paid back from revenue from the project – not with taxes. However, parties involved (Joint Powers and members) are responsible for keeping the reserves replenished throughout the project.)

The project is expected to have a positive margin by the end of year two. There are a couple of wildcard factors. First: take rate – the business plan assumes a 65% penetration rate where customers subscribe to at least two services (of the triple play offering). Second: interest rate – they need to get better than 6% interest rate.

There are other wildcards – such as ensuring other numbers are correct, and assuming there are no roadblocks, such as a lawsuit – but I think these that the take rate and interest rate are two biggies because they are outside the scope of the partners to a large degree.

Not surprisingly, attendees seemed most concerned about mitigating risk – starting with the bonding but also with potential lawsuits. They were clearly up on the history of Monticello’s project – but a lawyer has determined that the situation here is different, in part because as a countywide project they can escape some roadblocks set out for municipalities.

Here are more complete notes… Read More…

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Posted in Building Broadband Tools, Community Networks, Conferences, FTTH, Funding, MN

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