TechNet State Broadband Index rates states on indicators of broadband adoption, network quality, and economic structure as a way of taking stock of where each state stands. Here’s a list of their top 15 states:

1. Washington
2. Massachusetts
3. Delaware
4. Maryland
5. California
6. New Jersey
7. Vermont
8. Virginia
9. Utah
10. New York
11. Rhode Island
12. Pennsylvania
13. Oregon
14. New Hampshire
15. Texas

What’s missing? Minnesota!

Minnesota came in 19^th with an index score of 100, which is also the average index value. We not close to the Minnesota State Broadband Goals: to be in the top five states for broadband speed universally accessible to residents and businesses; to be in the top five states for broadband access; or to be in the top 15 when compared to countries globally for broadband penetration. We’re not even hitting the traditional Minnesota goal of well above average!

Here’s a breakdown of Minnesota’s  scores:

• Adoption: 94
• Network Speeds: 81
• Economic Structure (is state economy oriented toward tech/broadband?) : 125

The report also details Minnesota stats from other sources:

• Broadband adoption – 71 percent
• Homes passed by fiber – 5.9 percent

TechNet shares a list of the promising approaches to promoting broadband in a state:

• Governors who show an interest in developing broadband are a spur to building the coalitions and institutions that can enhance broadband infrastructure deployment and adoption in a state.
• Closely associated with execu­tive and legislative leadership is funding for infrastructure (often done in a way to leverage private funding or incentivize private invest­ment), and initiatives to promote broadband adoption among citizens.
• Bringing stakeholders together in the public, private, and non-profit sector is often easier said than done.
• Institutionalizing planning efforts can give broadband advocates a stronger voice in debates about infrastructure in the state, while providing a long-term perspective on how policy choices impact broadband outcomes.