Blandin Broadband eNews: still waiting on the Legislature

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BBC MapEach month e-News provides updates from the Blandin on Broadband blog, Minnesota broadband news and event alerts to keep you abreast of the progress being made to increase the use of broadband based technologies to help our communities, residents and institutions to be more productive, efficient and competitive.

News from the Blandin on Broadband Blog

Blandin Foundation awards broadband grants
Blandin Foundation awarded 29 grants totaling $321,245 to support rural Minnesota communities as they grow high-speed Internet access and use in their communities. Awards will go to Blandin Broadband Communities (BBCs): Carlton County, Central Woodlands (parts of Mille Lacs, Kanabec, Pine, and Aitkin counties), Chisago County, Martin County, Redwood County, Red Wing, Renville/Sibley Counties, Resilient Region 5 (Cass, Wadena, Crow Wing, Todd and Morrison counties), and Sherburne County. Also receiving awards is Kandiyohi County and the City of Willmar, Upper Minnesota Valley Regional Development Commission, Long Lake Township and Mille Lacs County.

Minnesota Legislature: Special session ahead
May was a busy month for the Legislature. The Minnesota Broadband Task Force recommended $200 million investment in rural broadband. Both the House and Senate landed on much smaller numbers. The Governor vetoed the bill in the end. So the topic goes to a special session. Here’s an overview of what happened:

Are you a Provider?
We have a favor to ask. Please consider taking our brief survey about offering reduced rates for service to low income households. (We’ve had a nice response; I wanted to give one last chance to respond before I analyze results next week.)

Minnesota Broadband Task Force New Members
Governor Dayton recently announced the names of the latest iteration of the Broadband Task Force. Margaret Anderson Kelliher is still the Chair. The group includes seven new members and eight returns.

Gig Access available to Businesses
CenturyLink announces Gig access to businesses in several Minnesota communities, including Albertville, Chanhassen, Cottage Grove, Eden Prairie, Excelsior, Inver Grove Heights, Minneapolis, Rochester, Rogers, St. Michael, St. Paul, South St. Paul, Shakopee and Wayzata. Comcast announces 2-Gig access available in the Twin Cities.

Senator Klobuchar asks FCC to rethink support for rural broadband
Senator Klobuchar leads an effort to ask FCC to modernize support for rural broadband by specifically asking the FCC to remove voice requirements in funding equation.

Infrastructure isn’t enough
The Daily Yonder looks at research and highlights the fact that while access is still an issue, so is adoption. They ask policymakers to look at ways to promote adoption in rural areas.

Broadband News Around Minnesota 

Ada
A business in Ada grows online, outgrows community infrastructure but local provider steps up to improve broadband access and keep growing company in town.

Dakota County
Dakota County seeks bids for Metropolitan Area Fiber Optic Network

Elk River
Elk River is home to a national pilot for a public-private partnership to establish a national public safety broadband system.

Lake County
Lake County is still focused on completing their fiber installation this summer.

Nobles County
Nobles County Broadband coverage is about 60 percent broadband.

Norman County
Norman County broadband coverage is about 60 percent.

St Cloud
St Cloud Times ran an interesting article on data centers and the economic impact of the business and the infrastructure.

Virginia
Northland News looks at the plight of the broadband have-nots in Virginia. It features a business owner working at the public library because she cannot get broadband at home.

Events & Opportunities:

Looking for more events? Check out TechDotMN’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 PotBill_Coleman

Uncertainty seems to describe the current broadband environment in Minnesota and beyond.  This uncertainty makes it hard for local community broadband initiatives to plan a path forward causing delay and frustration.

Here in Minnesota, we are all awaiting the final passage of the Office of Broadband appropriations for the Border to Border Broadband Program.  When the legislative session started, I was among many who thought that upwards of $100 million would be appropriated for the grant fund to follow up on the original $20 million granted earlier this year.  The $10 million in the appropriation vetoed by the Governor is clearly inadequate to meet the demand of the projects in the pipeline.

At the federal level, we are all waiting for the pending announcements from Frontier, Centurylink and Windstream as to their intentions with CAF2 or Connect America Fund version two.  These larger companies need to declare whether they will take these incentives to improve their networks.  If they reject the subsidies, the FCC will conduct a reverse auction to determine how the subsidies will be allocated possibly opening the funds to a range of prospective competitors.

My advice for communities is to encourage them to keep moving forward with your planning and solutions development. Be prepared for emerging opportunities!

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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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