The Redwood Falls Gazette recently ran an article on the Office of Broadband Development’s grant and the $537,000 award Arvig got to improve services in Sauk Center….

“You can compare broadband service with health insurance coverage,” Birkholz said. “Some people have very good insurance coverage, just like very good broadband service. Then some have insurance with a high deductible, but the coverage is less because of it. Likewise, some broadband users have service, but it is slower than it should be because of the distance it has to cover.

“Then some have no insurance whatsoever. Those are like the 10 percent of the area population that has no broadband service.”

It was noted the 10 percent figure of pros-pective customers who do not have broadband service can include some people who choose not to have high-speed internet and/or those who cannot afford it even if it were available to their homes.

Birkholz went on to explain while Arvig is aware of the 10 percent that are without internet service, it wasn’t feasible to do anything about it.

He had an interesting view on the grants…

“But, if the government says you have to have it, then the government has to pay for it,” Birkholz said. “It’s a constant work in progress.”

There were seven applications for the new grant money through the State of Minnesota, in the amount of $19.4 million, said Birkholz.

“We know that it almost feels like a right to have (high speed internet service), and that some people feel like second class citizens without it,” Birkholz said. “We hope to include more of these (distance sensitive area fixes) in future grant applications.”