Here are notes and video from the Blandin Broadband Conference keynote speech by Jim Baller. Jim is a lawyer who work on broadband and telecommunications issues in Washington DC. He is instrumental in the US Broadband Coalition and their efforts to spur, create and deploy a National Broadband Strategy.

Tonight Jim spoke about his work with the US Broadband Coalition – but he started by talking about the Minnesota Ultra High Speed Task Force recommendations to the state. Specifically, he reacted to a the results of a survey we had done with conference attendees. Here is the question and responses that caught Jim’s eye:

The broadband bandwidth goal, 20 Mb downstream/10 Mb upstream by 2015, will position Minnesota as a global leader in broadband availability.
Strongly Disagree 6.3%
Disagree 18.8%
Agree 35.4%
Strongly Agree 33.3%
Don’t Know/No Opinion 6.3%

Jim’s response was strongly disagree. He used a tool to track how long it took to run specific application-based tasks on the Internet based on bandwidth. (I found a version of the tool, but it’s not in English. That being said I was able to figure it out, so I hope you will be able to as well.) It showed how some applications (such as eleanring) that would take hours at 20 Mbps took minutes at a Gig. (I know that the Task Force included a chart of applications by bandwidth in the report. How this tool and that list compare – I don’t really know.)

After Jim’s demonstration many people wanted to change their answer.

The rest of the time he spoke on the US Broadband Coalition. Here are video clips and links to clips (listed in chronoloical oder).

Jim Hoolihan introduces Nancy Aronson Norr: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JA6u-XTrMVM

Nancy Aronson Norr introduces Jim Baller http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZyw98oo82o

Jim Baller talks about Minnesota Task Force 

Jim Baller demonstrates fiber speed tool

Jim Baller on what it will take for MN to be a world broadband leader http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xw-qDj1jRUU  

Jim Baller on Blandin Foundation & Broadband Task Force Report http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJ8CUTdZf94

Jim Baller talks about the history of broadband in the US http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hh7XJEvHaZo  

Jim Baller talks about the US Broadband Coalition http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KPfMwalGXbY  

Jim Baller mentions spectrum, USF and other policies http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1h2IXUbUFIc  

Jim Baller – how do we plan for broadband future http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f3u_1P4dIYA  

Jim Baller on broadband mapping http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KAJcl3JheWQ