Monthly Archives: January 2013

Plan a Civic Hack for your Community: June 1-2, 2013

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I love this idea from the White House. I’d love to see Minnesota be the hotbed of civic hacking this summer. The website Hack for Change makes it pretty easy to plan an event. It’s over a weekend – but what a great way to get students engaged in something for the summer. It’s the perfect service-learning opportunity. It’s the perfect answer to – I’m bored. It’s a great way to get stuff done for the community.

This summer, on June 1-2, 2013, citizens in cities across the Nation will join together to improve their communities and governments as part of the National Day of Civic Hacking.

Civic Hacking Day is an opportunity for software developers, technologists, and entrepreneurs to unleash their can-do American spirit by collaboratively harnessing publicly-released data and code to create innovative solutions for problems that affect Americans.  While civic hacking communities have long worked to improve our country and the world, this summer will mark the first time local developers from across the Nation unite around the shared mission of addressing and solving challenges relevant to OUR blocks, OUR neighborhoods, OUR cities, OUR states, and OUR country.

National Day of Civic Hacking is a call to action for anyone who wants to make a positive impact on their town, city, and country.  A coalition of leading organizations, companies, and government agencies have banded together to issue this challenge with the goal of promoting transparency, participation, and collaboration among governments, startups, and citizens. These partners will support Civic Hacking Day by hosting activities across the country that invite anyone to become part of the civic hacker community—whether you’re a newbie or an expert—and by  connecting people in person or online during the weekend celebration.

The event is taking place in conjunction with Random Hacks of Kindness and Code for America’s Brigade meetings and is being modeled after the Innovation Endeavors’ Super Happy Block Party.  A number of Federal agencies, including NASA, the Census Bureau, and the Department of Labor, are participating by offering specific challenges for hackers to work during the event.

This is an opportunity for citizens in every town and city across the Nation to roll up their sleeves, get involved, and work together to improve our society by cultivating an ecosystem for innovation and change.  Activities are already being planned in Augusta, GA; Alexandria, VA; Asheville, NC; Austin, TX; Bend, OR; Boston, MA; Chicago, IL; Denver, CO; Detroit, MI; Grand Rapids, MI; Honolulu, HI; Lexington, KY; Oakland, CA; Palo Alto, CA; Portland, ME; New York City, NY; Philadelphia, PA; San Diego, CA; San Francisco, CA; Seattle, WA; and Tucson, AZ.

Ready to get involved in YOUR community?  You can learn more about the National Day of Civic Hacking at: http://www.hackforchange.org/.

Governor Dayton recommends a Minnesota Broadband Development Office

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I listened to Governor Dayton’s recommendations today. Turns out broadband wasn’t top of the list – although online tax for purchasing did make the hour-long talk. (The Governor promotes taxing online purchases. I’ve talked about the Marketplace Fairness Act in earlier posts. Dayton’s reasoning seems to stem from a similar desire to level the playing field for brick and mortar shops as well as collect revenue for the state.) The overall focus, as taken from the Governor’s presentation, is

  • A growing economy that creates jobs and expands the middle class
  • A tax system that is fair for all Minnesotans
  • Public services that give Minnesotans the best value for their dollar

The question for me here is how and where does broadband come in? The good news is that the recommendations do include a Broadband Development Office to be housed in the Department of Commerce.

Broadband Task Force

The Governor recommends funding for a Broadband Development Office. This initiative would coordinate broadband deployment projects and work toward developing a Minnesota Fiber Collaboration Database and a statewide “dig once” program. The Broadband Development Office would supply logistical resources to the Governor’s Broadband Task Force and staff resources to provide technical analysis and advice.

Performance Measures:

1) Successful establishment of a statewide Fiber Collaboration Database for the use of broadband developers; 2) An increase in the amount and effectiveness of federal broadband development funds received in Minnesota; 3) More detailed and specific recommendations from the Task Force; and 4) Progress toward meeting the state broadband goals.

The budget looks like $250,000 per year from 2014 to 2017.

Optimistically I’m going to call that a win. It means someone at the State is going to be thinking about strategies to expand broadband.

There are a couple of performance measures I might add to the list. It would be nice to see the office maintain a list of digital literacy efforts and opportunities. I suspect the Technology Literacy Collaborative would be happy to help with such an effort. Also I would like to see the Office find places within the State where others are talking about broadband and coordinate those efforts and funds as well. On a very high level I perused the MMB presentation for such opportunities. The devil may be in the details but here are some areas where I saw a potential for broadband funding.

  • There is an effort to Invest in our Public Institutions to Prepare Students for the 21st Century Job Market. Some of that will be in internships but some appears to be on equipment (and maybe infrastructure)…
    • Purchase state-of-the-art equipment and train students for the jobs they will have after graduation. (slide 16)
  • There is an effort to Make Key Investments in Prevention Activities and Health Care to Better Control Cost in the Long-term. At least one item seemed to indicate broadband is required (if not supported)…
    • Modernize human services technology systems and develop the technological infrastructure for the Health Insurance Exchange – $29 million (slide 17)
  • There is an effort to Ensure Public Safety Through Increases For Core Services. There is one item that I suspect would require better broadband throughout the state, again if not outright support it…
    • $10.9 million for the Department of Public Safety to replace the outdated State’s Criminal History System and Crime Reporting System (slide 19)
  • There are efforts to improve the daily work of state government that seem as if they too will require, if not outright support better broadband to all corners of the state…
    • Invest in statewide IT systems that support human resources and budget process across all of state government
    • Authorize a public-private partnership to develop a revamped state web portal and new online services for citizens and business

So it’s out there. And now we can and I’m sure will discussion every aspect of the budget because as the Governor noted in his report this is

The first word, but not the final word, on the budget.

Folks wanting to discuss the broadband aspects of the budget in greater detail might be interested in attending the next Broadband Task Force meeting. I’ll be there taking notes but the public is always welcome and it would be a good opportunity to let them know what you think. At least two Legislators are slated to be there: Sen. Dan Sparks and Rep. Sheldon Johnson.

Here are more details:

Governor’s Task Force on Broadband
January 29, 2013 – 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Room G22, Minnesota Department of Transportation
395 John Ireland Boulevard
St. Paul, MN 55155

Broadband access in Southern MN? 20 percent in Olmsted & Winona

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The Post Bulletin ran an article last week comparing broadband to electricity…

One of the big initiatives now is broadband. High-speed Internet is becoming what electricity was 80 years ago — a critical component of business, Landkamer said.

It’s not a new comparison, but an apt one. What I really liked about the article was their definition of broadband…

According to Connect Minnesota, the Legislature set its basic broadband level at 10 megabits per second download and 6 megabits per second upload. Many of the areas with the best broadband coverage are in the metro area, where more than 75 percent of people have access to high-speed internet.

In southeastern Minnesota, Goodhue and Wabasha counties have the best coverage at 40-50 percent; Olmsted and Winona counties have the worst at less than 20 percent.

So often I see people give the Minnesota standard for broadband but then proceed to give statistics based on lower speeds. These numbers give a clearer vision of the gap between what speed policymakers think will help Minnesota thrive and what is actually out there.

I should mention that the article also gives the Blandin Foundation a nice nod…

The Rural Development Administration is working with many other groups in the project, she said. The Blandin Foundation, of Grand Rapids, has a Broadband Initiative that has many of the same aims.

“Abundant and robust access to the Internet (broadband), and the digital literacy skills necessary to take full advantage of this access are essential as communities seek to compete and thrive in a digitally connected world,” the Blandin Foundation states.

Would you pay $1000 for inadequte broadband?

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Aaron Brown is a writer, speaker and teacher in Northern Minnesota. He writes about life on the Range – for folks outside of Minnesota that’s the Iron Range, know for timber, tourism and Bob Dylan. In some areas, they are now promoting timber, tourism and technology (oh and Bob Dylan) but Aaron’s recent blog post explains why that’s not possible throughout the region.

Aaron is a long time advocate for better broadband in the area. He is speaking from the front lines – both he and his wife make at least part of their living online. Aaron is blunt about the need to get better broadband soon to attract and retain families and younger people to the area if there is to be a future of the area. His post is worth reading – I wanted to whet your appetite with just a few key points…

We pay more than $1,000 a year for our satellite internet and routinely hit our “data cap,” after which our fast speeds are rendered slower than dial up. …

Not all internet is the same. A data plan on a new phone will let you use the internet wherever you have reception. But this “internet” is not broadband; not exactly. You face steep data caps (limits on how much you can do) and translating that service to your computer is prohibitive to many professionals. Further, focusing on phones — apps, videos and music — reinforces the false notion that the web is “just for fun.” The web is the way our economy works!  …

As sure as our ancestors sought abundant natural resources in northern Minnesota, their great-great grandchildren will flee for lack of access to the modern economy. We have had, and missed, opportunities to change this; we will not have many more.

Frankly, those in our communities who continue to reject or dismiss the internet as a part of our future will cause scores of future generations to be raised elsewhere, while our communities wither into the small shells common to once-mighty mining towns.

What does $4.7 billion buy in broadband expansion?

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National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) Administrator Lawrence E. Strickling spoke last week on the impact of the $4.7 billion in BTOP investment (ARRA funding to improve access to broadband). Here’s the quick tally…

  • deployed or upgraded 78,000 miles of broadband infrastructure;
  • connected 11,200 community anchor institutions—such as schools, libraries and hospitals—to broadband networks;
  • installed more than 38,600 computer workstations in 2,600 public computer centers in 1,500 communities; and
  • generated more than 510,000 new broadband subscribers.

I presume this isn’t the final tally, since I know Blandin is still doing some final tallies for their BTOP project. Strickling also spoke a bit about job creation related to the funding..

Our infrastructure grantees have directly created thousands of jobs in areas such as construction, fiber splicing and network engineering. But our broadband adoption projects and public computer centers are also driving employment in another way. They are reaching people who may never have even turned on a computer – a group that includes a disproportionate number of low-income Americans, senior citizens and members of minority groups – and teaching them how to use a mouse, navigate the Internet and set up an email account. These programs are also instructing people on how to write resumes, find Internet job postings and even apply for jobs over the Web.

These are skills that many of us take for granted. But for those stuck on the wrong side of the digital divide, not having this basic digital literacy can be a barrier to employment. Many job listings are only posted online these days and many employers only accept job applications online. What’s more, today’s job market demands a basic knowledge of computers, software and the Internet.

And a little bit on next steps…

We are working to determine how we can extend the lessons learned from our projects to other communities that did not receive Recovery Act grants.  For example, we will soon release a toolkit highlighting successful strategies to increase broadband adoption in inner city, rural or ethnic communities that can be used by communities anywhere to increase the level of digital literacy and broadband adoption in their areas.  For schools, our program will bring 100 megabits per second service to less than 10 percent of the nation’s K-12 schools.  Another 30 percent, it is estimated, already receive broadband service at the speeds recommended by the school technology directors association.  That leaves around 60 percent of our schools still needing upgrades in order to deliver the quality of education that our students need in the 21st century.

It’s fun to know that maybe we’re a step ahead of the game in Minnesota in terms of extending the program with the Blandin Foundation decision to morph their ARRA-funded project (Minnesota Intelligent Rural Communities) into a new iteration, Blandin Broadband Communities. I hope other areas are as lucky and other public and private entities are wise in their investments!

North Dakota is Better with Broadband

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Thanks to Jennifer Bevis at Blandin Foundation for the heads up on the recent article on broadband in North Dakota. As she said to me – it’s not Minnesota, but it sure could be.

The story starts 10 years ago in rural North Dakota. Residents are saddened to realize that unless something changes, their children will probably not be able to stay in the area due to lack of opportunities. Well a couple of things changed. They got broadband…

Dakota Central has installed fiber-optic lines to the homes and businesses it serves, replacing copper lines, to enable data and television services for customers.

That was part of a 10-year, $90 million initiative in partnership with neighboring Dickey Rural Networks that together established a fiber broadband network covering 10,000 square miles, billed as the largest in the nation when its completion was announced in April.

The project, which had support from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s rural development agency, was called a “game changer” for rural communities, with technology to help create jobs and open new markets.

Also the article recognizes, they got oil…

How much of North Dakota’s prosperity is simply the oil and gas boom enabled by technology, coupled with high farm commodity prices — and how much is attributable to state policies, workforce and other homegrown factors?

“I think we definitely have lucked out, but at the same time, North Dakotans in general are conservative,” Anderson said. “We’re not going to take a one-time windfall and not use it.”

It’s an example of broadband technology as an investment. The broadband coupled with oil and gas have created more opportunities related to the oil and gas and the further investment will create opportunities that aren’t related to oil and gas. The technology allows for clean diversification.

It reminded me of a story closer to home. Last week, I was able to attend the annual State of the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe meeting with Bill Coleman. I was so impressed on many levels – especially on the focus on the future. This was the meeting where they announced plans to buy two hotels in St Paul. So smart to invest in diverse markets! The Mille Lacs community is one of the new Blandin Broadband Communities (BBC) so Bill is working with them on plans for increasing local use of broadband. I suspect that as in North Dakota, we’ll find that the investment in technology improves initial investment and reaps enough to further diversify investments and improve quality of life!

Anoka County Network Nearly Constructed

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Today I received a bitter sweet email update from Connect Anoka County…

This is the last weekly update for construction of the fiber network. Construction is essentially complete with the exception of 5 miles approximately. Project updates will be provided to communicate any significant milestone on an as needed basis.

It’s fun news. Apparently the construction is all but done – splicing and equipment installation are left.

Here’s a quick reminder on the project from their website…

Connect Anoka County is the county-led effort to increase the amount of fiber optic cable in the county. The Connect Anoka County project has resulted in a partnership between Zayo Bandwidth, LLC and Anoka County.  Through the partnership, Zayo Bandwidth applied for and received a National Telecommunications Information Administration (NTIA) grant paying 70 percent of the fiber construction cost and initial equipment.   The grant project will construct an approximately 286 mile fiber network throughout Anoka County linking 145 governmental institutions.

Nerdery Overnight Website Challenge 2013

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This looks like a good opportunity for your favorite nonprofit to get a free website or website upgrade. The only hiccup for folks outside the Twin Cities is that they ask that you have someone from the nonprofit on site during the Challenge. I think the more info you can have going in – like a goal for the site, images, ideas – the better. Also I’d try to make friends with the folks developing the site for you – you may have questions later. I suspect the closer you can get to the source of the work, the better the odds of any follow up support. (I’m not suggesting that the volunteers should be offering hours of post-event support but I have been in situations where the nonprofits needed their new passwords.)

Here’s the info…

Nerdery Overnight Website Challenge 2013

Nerds will give their time, talent and weekend of March 9-10 to help nonprofits do what they do – but better – online

About the Event

In the first five years of The Nerdery Overnight Website Challenge, volunteers have freely given about 3 million dollars worth of professional web development services to 96 nonprofit organizations. While The Nerdery considers this a good start, we will rally our staff and community to help good nonprofits with not-so-good websites. During this nerdathon benefiting local nonprofits, volunteers form teams of 8-10 web pros that show up not knowing what nonprofit they’ll serve, pro bono, for the next 24 hours.

In developing world 25 percent fewer women than men have access to the Internet

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Intel Corporation recently released a report on the state of women and the Internet in developing worlds: Women and the Web. It is discouraging and maddening.

Here are some of the facts that startled me…

  • 25 percent fewer women than men have access to the Internet, and the gender gap soars to nearly 45 percent in regions like sub-Saharan Africa. Even in rapidly growing economies the gap is enormous. Nearly 35 percent fewer women than men in South Asia, the Middle East and North Africa have Internet access, and nearly 30 percent in parts of Europe and across Central Asia. In most higher-income countries, women’s Internet access only minimally lags that of men’s, and in countries such as France and the United States, in fact exceeds it.
  • One in five women in India and Egypt believe the Internet is not “appropriate” for them. Gender-based barriers are real. These women believe engaging online would not be useful for them, and if they did, their families would disapprove.
  • In India, Internet-based economic activity accounts for more than 5 percent of GDP growth. Without access to the Internet, women lack access to its tools, resources and opportunities.
  • Across all developing countries, about 75 percent of women are literate, compared to 86 percent of men.
  • Lack of awareness of the Internet’s potential benefits keeps women from tapping its potential.
  • Almost 40 percent of women who don’t use the Internet cite lack of familiarity or comfort with technology as a reason.
  • Women who access the Internet via more than one platform report greater benefits than those who use only computers or only mobiles.
  • The longer a woman has been engaging online, the more likely she is to engage in activities that yield tangible benefits.

Some facts ring true with what we know about non-adopters here in Minnesota. Non-adopting women don’t see the value and don’t have the skills to learn more. One fact I think could spur a huge discussion on value of wired and wireless infrastructure learning that women who access the Internet via more than one platform report greater benefits than those who use only computers or only mobiles. I could write a whole post  on that fact! But I think the most striking facts are the alarming gender gaps and fact that some women find the Internet to be not appropriate to them. Aargh! I suspect that those who are perpetuating that idea are afraid of what ready access to unfiltered (or even filtered) information might do to the status quo in their communities.

How could the status quo change? The report goes to talk about what the Internet do:

  1. Boosts women’s income and income potential.
  2. Increases women’s sense of empowerment.
  3. Increases women’s sense of equity.

women report 2But it isn’t all doom and gloom. The report also indicates that a dedicated global effort to address the Internet gender gap could double the number of women online within three years. And the report provides a call for action; here are the recommendations they make. (Some of these

Stakeholders in industry should:

  • Expand access to affordable platforms through innovative low-cost designs, such as through technology designed specifically for education
  • Expand options for free content access to generate interest and lower the initial hurdle for non-users, for example by making content available without data charges through the mobile Internet, while recognizing that such content is not a substitute for unrestricted access on fully functional platforms

Stakeholders in the development community should:

  • Support the establishment and growth of Internet advocacy organizations that prioritize gender-focused initiatives. Examples are WOUGNET (the Women of Uganda network) at the country level, ArabDev at the regional level, and APC (the Association for Progressive Communication) at the global level

Policymakers should:

  • Develop comprehensive national plans for increasing broadband penetration that address gender-specific barriers to access
  • Address market constraints that impact the affordability of Internet platforms, such as ensuring healthy competition, while also supporting women directly through programs such as targeted subsidies

All stakeholders should collaborate to:

Address factors hindering access for individual women and girls:

  • Develop and share content relevant to women, such as health information and e-government services, as well as “safe” online communities that encourage expression while addressing appropriateness concerns
  • Ensure that existing Internet access initiatives give women and girls a seat at the table, and that they incorporate the full package of needs: hardware, software, connectivity, training, and ongoing support/maintenance
  • Integrate digital and information literacy into existing programs targeting women and girls
  • Address the gender inequality underlying many barriers to Internet access; for example, by investing in girls’ education or women’s access to finance
  • Invest in bringing technology and long-term training to the hardest to reach populations, such as low-income and rural women
  • Support piloting of programs to address women specific needs, such as for “safe” access points like women-only Internet cafes, and government measures to increase online safety

Address factors affecting the Internet ecosystem:

  • Make topic experts available to bring gender awareness to telecommunications policies, and technical awareness to gender policies. For example, universal access programs should be designed to address the types of gender-specific barriers identified by this study
  • Bring women to the table as leaders and decision makers throughout the ecosystem to serve as role models, and to advocate for inclusion of and ensure that gender-specific considerations are represented as policies, products and services are developed
  • Collect and openly share gender-disaggregated access and usage data
  • Invest in local women ICT leaders to serve as role models, trainers, content creators, and supporters for women and girls in their communities
  • Establish public-private partnerships to continue studying the gender perspective, expand awareness of the Internet’s benefits, and develop actionable recommendations

I share this information for two reasons. One, we should all be a little angry at this discrepancy. Two, I think there are some gems in these calls to action that will be helpful in any adoption effort.

Minnesota Broadband Task Force Meeting Jan 29

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The Minnesota Broadband Task Force is meeting on January 29 at the Minnesota Department of Transportation. I am planning to attend and will take notes. The meetings are always open to the public. I think it’s helpful for them to hear from the public. Here’s more info…

Governor’s Task Force on Broadband
January 29, 2013 – 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Room G22, Minnesota Department of Transportation
395 John Ireland Boulevard
St. Paul, MN 55155

  • 10:00-­‐10:15 Welcome/Introductions/Approve minutes from November 27, 2012 meeting
  • 10:15-­‐10:45 Sen. Dan Sparks, Chair-­‐-­‐Jobs, Agriculture and Rural Development Committee Rep. Sheldon Johnson, Chair-­‐-­‐Labor, Workplace and Regulated Industries Committee • Informal discussion with the task force regarding the potential for broadband legislation in 2013
  • 10:45-­‐11:30 Minnesota Management and Budget—John Pollard • Overview of the Governor’s budget
  • 11:30-­‐12:15 Lunch (on your own—MNDOT cafeteria)
  • 12:15-­‐1:15 Discussion of 2013 Task Force work plan and subgroup activity
  • 1:15-­‐1:45 Meeting locations and events
  • 1:45-­‐2:00 Public comments/Wrap up/Adjourn

MTA Spring Conference Mar 25-27 featuring FCC Commissioner Clyburn

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I’ve always enjoyed the Minnesota Telecom Alliance Spring conference – but I’m really looking forward to it this year with the keynote conversation they have planned…

Keynote: A Conversation with FCC Commissioner Mignon Clyburn and NTCA CEO Shirley Bloomfield

The FCC’s Transformation Order is changing the way Telcos do business. MTA Members will have a rare opportunity to hear from FCC Commissioner Mignon Clyburn on her perspective on this issue and others facing the FCC. Commissioner Clyburn will be interviewed on stage Wednesday morning by NTCA CEO Shirley Bloomfield. This is one conversation you don’t want to miss!

Here are the details – registration is now open – I think opportunities for exhibiting are still open too.

  • 2013 MTA Annual Convention & Trade Show
  • Monday, March 25, 2013 – Wednesday, March 27, 2013
  • Hyatt Regency Downtown Minneapolis

Skyping in Guest Speakers in Brainerd Schools

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Thanks to Ann Higgins for sharing a fun story from the Brainerd Dispatch on how author was able to visit with students at Brainerd High School thanks to the technology of Skype…

Freshman English students filled the high school’s Little Theatre to meet with author Alane Ferguson via Skype during the schools’ third and sixth hours Thursday.

Ferguson joined the classes from her home in Colorado.

Apparently the students had read and really enjoyed the first book in Ferguson’s Christopher Series so they suggested that their teacher contact the author. She did and the rest is history. Ferguson was happy to hear about the enthusiastic readers and agreed to the Skype sessions. It sounds like the kids loved it…

Kirsten Johnshoy, 14 and also a student in Gross’ English class, said she really enjoyed the Skype session with Ferguson and, like her teachers, was surprised to hear that Ferguson wanted to talk to her class.

“This is really cool,” Johnshoy said of the Skype session with Ferguson. “It was a great experience especially after reading her books.”

Such a good use of a pretty simple technology. A great opportunity for the students, energizing for the teacher and fun for the author. But as a librarian who loves technology, I especially love the idea of technology being used to promote reading and traditional books. A nice example of how new and old technology and a little thinking outside the box can enhance education for all involved.

Experiment on online tax benefits those without tax

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Before Christmas I wrote about the Marketplace Fairness Act, an effort to tax online purchases. A few states started charging tax in 2012 – most notably California. So folks were looking at the 2012 holiday shopping season as a pilot test on the impact of tax on online purchasing. Best Buy has reported that the online tax has been good for them in areas where Amazon charges tax and they don’t…

“In California, Texas and Pennsylvania where Amazon.com recently started collecting tax, it is very early, but Best Buy has seen a 4 to 6 percent increase in online sales observed in aggregate versus the rest of the chain,” spokeswoman Amy von Walter wrote in an email to Reuters.

Amazon, the world’s biggest Internet retailer, began collecting sales tax in California on September 15, weeks before the start of the crucial fourth-quarter holiday season. In the weeks leading up to the move, there were reports of binge buying of higher-priced items such flat-screen TVs by some California shoppers.

Amazon started collecting state sales tax in Texas in July and in Pennsylvania in September. …

Big retailers hope the requirement to collect sales tax will reduce Amazon’s price advantage and help them recoup some sales that lost to the Internet retailer.

Best Buy also saw an increase of 6 percent to 9 percent in online orders that are picked up in its stores in those three states compared with the rest of its chain, von Walter said.

Not conclusive but sort or surprised me. On the one hand, it’s again leveling the playing field between online and offline shop owners. Although I know folks who come to Minnesota to avoid paying taxes on clothes; I guess this isn’t much different. It will be interesting to see what others report.

New way to get TV in the Twin Cities

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According to Minneapolis St Paul Business Journal…

Aereo Inc., a high-flying startup that lets consumers stream broadcast-TV channels on computers and mobile devices, will enter the Twin Cities market this year.

The New York-based company uses tiny antennas to snag TV broadcasts and distribute programming to its subscribers’ laptops, iPads and Roku boxes. Aereo’s service also incorporates DVR-like features, allowing consumers to save programs for later viewing and pause during episodes.

Not surprisingly they add…

The broadcast TV industry isn’t a big fan of Aereo, and several stations have sued the company.

As a consumer I was happy to hear prices range from $1 a day to $80 per year. I had visions of watching BBC whenever I wanted. But of course they aren’t picking up a ton of cable programs. The mainstay seems to be broadcast channels. Looking at the Aereo website, these are the currently available channels:

  • CBS
  • NBC
  • FOX
  • ABC
  • The CW
  • PBS
  • ION
  • MyNetwork TV
  • This TV
  • Antenna TV
  • Bounce TV
  • ION Life
  • NyNonstop
  • NYC Life
  • NYC Gov
  • PBS Kids
  • Qubo
  • HSN
  • HSN 2
  • And several Spanish and Asian language channels

Discussion of the Governor’s Task Force report: Full Notes

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jan112013Today I attended the Discussion of the Governor’s Task Force report hosted by the Minnesota High Tech Association. The theme of the morning – we need to do more to reach the 2015 broadband goals. I thought there were some good questions too.

Bill Hoffman from Connected Nation began by reminding us that 61 percent of Minnesota homes have access to broadband as defined by the Minnesota 2015 standards (10 Mbps down and 5 Mbps up). So there’s room for progress with deployment. Also 73 percent of homes subscribe to some level of broadband. Duane Ring pointed out that 96 percent of Minnesota homes have access to some level of broadband. So there’s also progress to be had in adoption.

Public-private partnership came up a lot. It always does. I feel like a couple of things were said that aren’t always said.

  • In other states local governments have more freedom to barter with providers with things such as franchise fees. Maybe the state and local governments need to assess this sort of potential bargaining tool.
  • Streamlining transactions (such as permit processes) is another way that local governments can make it easier to deploy broadband.
  • Smaller providers, especially with local owners/shareholders, have an easier time making investments with slow or limited ROI.
  • Larger providers are beholden to shareholders. It is more difficult for them to consider projects with slow or limited ROI.
  • Larger providers (at least the one on the panel) recognize that government intervention will be necessary to reach remote locations.
  • Larger providers (at least the one on the panel) do not like when government intervention builds networks where they already have infrastructure.

I  tried to take notes throughout the session… Continue reading →