Near the end of March the Minnesota Broadband Bill passed in the House. It has just passed in the Senate. It may go into conference – but since it has passed in both the House and the Senate it may not. I’ll keep an eye on it.
In some ways the speeds specified (10Mbps down and 5Mbps up) is a little anti-climatic after the National Broadband Plan calls for 100Mbps down/50Mbps up – but the secondary goal saves it…
1.13(1) the proportion of Minnesota residents and businesses having access to broadband
1.14ranks among the five states in the United States and the 15 nations globally that have the
1.15highest proportion of that measure; and
1.16(2) Minnesota ranks among the five states in the United States with the highest
1.17broadband speed that is universally accessible to state residents and businesses.
The ranking goal doesn’t seem to get as much press – probably because it’s not as neat as a sound bite, but I think that’s the goal that we’ll find most useful.
I would hope the ranking goal doesn’t get much press – the goal is entirely fanciful. There is no sense of how one gets to “there.” Is Qwest going to ensure all the rural folks have access to broadband (however it is defined?) If we are to be among the top 15 nations that do this, the state will have to do something other than merely saying “we should do this.” Thus far, no MN policymaker has shown a strong interest in broadband though many talk about how important it is.
But first they have to have a goal to shoot for! My hope is that the broadband advisory group might help create a plan or at least champion a plan.