[Note from 8/28/2012 – significant changes have been made to this post]

The latest FCC 706 report is out. Here’s the Readers’ Digest version of the results from the FCC press release…

But as of now, our analysis of the best data available—the data collected by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) for the National Broadband Map—shows that approximately 19 million Americans live in areas still unserved by terrestrial-fixed broadband. For these and other reasons, we must conclude that broadband is not yet being deployed “to all Americans” in a reasonable and timely fashion.

Here are the notes on Minnesota access:

In Minnesota, 8 percent of the population does not have access to fixed broadband. In non-rural areas the percentage is .8 percent. In rural areas that percentage climbs to 27.7 percent.

You can access an interactive map of the areas served and unserved on the FCC site – here’s a snapshot below:

Or get a list of the information by county.

Mainstream media such as the Huffington Post report that access is only part of the equation. We must work on adoption as well…

Only 40 percent of Americans who have access to DSL or cable Internet service actually use them, the FCC report said. Those who don’t cite barriers such as lack of affordability, a lack of digital literacy, and “a perception that the Internet is not relevant or useful to them,” according to the report.

The National Broadband Plan has recommendations to address those issues. The question from the Minnesota perspective is whether the National Broadband Plan will help us reach our state broadband goals?

CHAPTER 277–H.F.No. 2907
An act relating to communications; setting state goals for the deployment and speed of high-speed broadband; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 237.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1. [237.012] BROADBAND GOALS.
Subdivision 1. Universal access and high-speed goal. It is a state goal that as soon as possible, but no later than 2015, all state residents and businesses have access to high-speed broadband that provides minimum download speeds of ten to 20 megabits per second and minimum upload speeds of five to ten megabits per second. Subd. 2. State broadband leadership position. It is a goal of the state that by
2015 and thereafter, the state be in:
(1) the top five states of the United States for broadband speed universally accessible to residents and businesses;
(2) the top five states for broadband access; and
(3) the top 15 when compared to countries globally for broadband penetration.
Subd. 3. Annual reports. The commissioner of commerce must annually by February 10 report on the achievement of the goals under subdivisions 1 and 2 to the chairs and ranking minority members of the legislative committees with primary jurisdiction over telecommunication issues. The report on goals under subdivision 1 must be made through 2015.