Blandin eNews Monthly Recap October 2012

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News from the Blandin on Broadband Blog

2012 Broadband Conference: Duluth Nov 13-14
Register now for Building Our Connected Future: Minnesota’s Better with Broadband in Duluth on November 13-14. http://tinyurl.com/cgr9hau  The conference will immediately follow the Minnesota Broadband Task Force meeting, also held in Duluth. It will feature Minnesota-grown best practices for broadband adoption, a national perspective on broadband expansion in rural areas from Craig Settles and a look at national policy from Connected Nation’s Tom Koutsky. A preliminary agenda is available http://tinyurl.com/ckwtrhg  (A series of free webinars is planned leading up to the conference. http://wp.me/p3if7-1SQ.)

Report and Policy Recommendations in Minnesota
The Minnesota Broadband Task Force released a Status Report and Policy Recommendations. http://wp.me/p3if7-1Ro The statewide goal is to have ubiquitous broadband coverage (with speeds of 10-20 Mbps download and 5-10 Mbps up) by 2015. The report indicates that currently less than 60 percent of the state meets that goal. Their next report is due near the end of the year.

In September the Task Force met in Thief River Falls to finalize the report. They also heard from Impact 2020 and heard Jack Geller’s report on the broadband adoption curve. (He asks if helping current users maximize use of broadband may yield greater results than trying to reach the disinterested non-users.) http://wp.me/p3if7-1QI

Note: There is a position open on the broadband task force; applications are requested before October 23. http://wp.me/p3if7-1SM

Federal Broadband Policy
The idea of taxing broadband is introduced http://wp.me/p3if7-1Qp and quickly dismissed as a way to fund the Connect America Fund. http://wp.me/p3if7-1R2 Senator Amy Klobuchar cosponsored bipartisan legislation to provide incentives for wireless carriers to lease unused spectrum to rural or smaller carriers in order to expand wireless coverage in rural areas. http://wp.me/p3if7-1RZ

Education and Broadband in Minnesota
A recent Connect Minnesota report (The Digital Classroom: Colleges and Universities Expanding their Reach through Broadband) indicates that more than one third of Minnesota broadband users are participating in some sort of elearning. Also, more than 10 percent of Minnesota adults have used their cell phone for elearning. http://wp.me/p3if7-1Ss To help encourage elearning opportunities, Connected Nation is hosting an online Vice Presidential debate on October 11. http://wp.me/p3if7-1Rg

Schools looking to improve their technology might want to look into Technology Grants for Rural Schools program http://wp.me/p3if7-1RN or iPad giveaway from SOPHIA Learning. http://wp.me/p3if7-1Rx

Tools for Engaging Community and Tech Leaders
Community broadband planning is not a one off process; it is ongoing and involves keeping leaders informed and community members engaged. Below are a few resources released recently that help the process:

  • Moving the Needle Forward on Broadband and Economic Development looks at the gap between economic development benefits touted as outcomes of better broadband and the actual benefits of broadband. http://wp.me/p3if7-1Sk
  • A recent article in Twin Cities Business magazine looks at the state of Internet access and adoption in Minnesota. http://wp.me/p3if7-1RW
  • In Kansas City, Google and community leaders must pull out some magic tricks to build excitement in economically disadvantaged neighborhoods for low cost ultra-fast broadband connectivity. Communities can learn from their approach. http://wp.me/p3if7-1QT
  • No Field of Dreams: Eliminating the Waiting Game and Driving Uptake is a new report that looks at what providers can do to increase high bandwidth subscriptions rates. Spoiler alert: the answer is to educate and to close the deal. http://wp.me/p3if7-1Qz The authors of the report (SNG) will be presenting at one of pre-conference Blandin webinars mentioned above. http://wp.me/p3if7-1SQ

Local Broadband News

Brainerd
The ARRA-supported Greater Minnesota Broadband Collaborative Project now has fiber connecting Minneapolis/St. Paul to Duluth/Superior and connecting Brainerd to Fargo/Moorhead. http://wp.me/p3if7-1RK

Cook County
Arrowhead Electric Coop continues to dig, construct and splice their way across Cook County. They provide regular updates on Facebook. http://wp.me/p3if7-1QF

Duluth
Duluth celebrates the grand opening of the Involta data center. http://wp.me/p3if7-1Se

Ivanhoe
Teachers in Ivanhoe get iPads for the classrooms and set up a learning program for middle school students to earn their iPad driving licenses. http://wp.me/p3if7-1Sx

Ramsey County
Ramsey County works with a private company (MFE) to build two fiber networks; one for government use and the other for dark fiber to be leased to last mile providers. http://wp.me/p3if7-1Sz

Renville & Sibley Counties
RS Fiber continues to work to get approval from counties and cities involved in building a fiber network. http://wp.me/p3if7-1S7 Most of the cities have voted to move forward; the counties plan to vote on the issue on October 9. http://wp.me/p3if7-1Sh

Southwest Minnesota
Broadband wireless trials in Southwest Minnesota have gone well. They are moving forward to offer services on a more permanent basis. http://wp.me/p3if7-1R8

Windom
The hospital in Windom now has iPads for patients. http://wp.me/p3if7-1Rs

Events

Looking for more events? Check out Tech.MN’s calendar http://tech.mn/events/. Many events are based in the Twin Cities but it is a comprehensive list. (If you have an upcoming event, consider submitting it.)

Stirring the Pot

As we talk with communities about the Blandin Community Broadband Program, http://tinyurl.com/8d78g5g I am impressed with the level and diversity of interest across the state.

Many communities have expressed their intention to apply to become a Blandin Broadband Community. They seem to understand the level of cross-sector commitment that will be required to successfully participate in the program. Yet, this expectation seems to fuel greater enthusiasm and desire to participate in the program.

Other communities, especially our existing MIRC demo communities, have specific technology projects that they want to implement. Champions in health care, education and small business have ideas that will help their organization and their community deliver services in new and exciting ways. Many of the most promising projects have cross-sector partnerships that put them a step above.

If you have questions about Blandin Broadband Communities or any of the four programmatic grants, be sure to ask!

This entry was posted in Blandin Foundation, MN by Ann Treacy. Bookmark the permalink.

About Ann Treacy

Librarian who follows rural broadband in MN and good uses of new technology (blandinonbroadband.org), hosts a radio show on MN music (mostlyminnesota.com), supports people experiencing homelessness in Minnesota (elimstrongtowershelters.org) and helps with social justice issues through Women’s March MN.

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