The Alexandria Echo Press reports that local Internet service providers are meeting with local policymakers to discuss the National Broadband Plan…

Leaders from Gardonville Cooperative Telephone Association met with Representative Torrey Westrom and Senator Bill Ingebrigtsen on July 28 to discuss their concerns with the National Broadband Plan (NBP) being proposed by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

According to Dave Wolf, Gardonville’s CEO/general manager, the NBP will threaten Gardonville’s ability to provide both broadband and affordable basic telephone service to the communities it serves.

The concern is that the plan does not strive for ubiquitous broadband coverage. The National Broadband Plan shoots for 100 Mbps to 100 million Americans by 2020. It shoots for 4 Mbps in the remaining areas, which will be predominantly rural areas.

As the article points out, Minnesota has focused on ubiquity – striving for universal coverage of 20 Mbps down and 10 Mbps up by 2015. It’s a plan that sets out to create a more level playing field.