With the help of Diane Wells, I have found more ARRA applications that propose service in Minnesota. I’m not sure why they didn’t come up when I searched for “MN” but they didn’t.

These “new” applications seem to fall into a couple of categories:

• Broadband adoption strategies that might include training or tools to encourage more people to go online
• New devices that expand the reach of existing broadband infrastructure or otherwise make it easier for providers to reach more people
• Network providers that plan to reach remote areas – often through wireless or satellite options

Minnesota has a list of about 80 applications to look at once you add in these multistate applications.

Geoff Daily has written a good post about the herculean task the state now have providing feedback on these applications before they have been vetted by the NTIA. It is disconcerting. How much state time will be wasted giving out these federal funds? Not that it wouldn’t be valuable to have their input much later in the process – but I don’t think it’s time well spent to have them review applications that may or may not meet basic criteria required by the NTIA and RUS.