Broadband Conference: Workgroups on improving broadband

In this session, attendees met in small group and reported out. We’ve captured the report out…

Small Group Discussions – Summarize up to three key ideas from your table discussion – to inform policy making to advance broadband in Minnesota.

Lack of information to make informed decisions
Create a baseline or minimum requirement beyond 10 MB
Demonstrate impact to use as a baseline to legislators and communities
Bb being the great equalizer – importance of – central service – utility of equal importance to others – why isn’t there a rural bb REA?
Unaware of the issues / problems w/service coverage
Erase barriers for economic reasons – declaration of emergency around bb (like propane)
Money drives everything and money follows vision
Accountability message is powerful –
More effective when we find consistent messages for all to buy into
Bb a problem of managing expectations – no longer a luxury
Affordability is an issue
Gov’t can fund where there’s market failure; remove barriers
Need funding to put technology into place – desire and need is there.
Local gov’t control would get things done
Fiber should be considered infrastructure. Should be regulated / controlled
What is the fair market price? Should there be assistance offered?
Providers and local gov’ts need to come together to provide the services under mutual agreements
Define public / private model – funding for small ISPs
Increase in funding for low income access; increase in awareness
Hold providers accountable – money wasted
Are we driving too much money in this too quickly? Should we look at other technologies in rural communities
Dig once! Conduit buried
Improve language in current laws ex: ability to bond for bb projects
Leverage local partnerships to provide funding
Bonds at state level are not allowed on reservations – we need to find a way to work together to embrace our neighbors
Regulatory issues changed to allow local municipalities to do bb
Telework creates jobs – funding to increase awareness and create telework sites.
Delivering internet signal via power lines.
Funding is the key – transformative and transitional technology
Public/private partnerships – long term low interest funds to help providers build
Lakes region – how do you build fiber to cabins where folks aren’t there half the year? Fee? Fiber to a point then wireless?
Fed – connect America project – look at deeper funding – work at coordinating the regulatory process
State gov’t set this as a priority – even provision of this service