Broadband News Around Minnesota

Blandin Broadband Conference: Sep 13-14
The Border to Border Broadband: Advancing the Vision conference was a great success. Find archived sessions here:

• Recap of the event: http://wp.me/p3if7-3G0
• Local Providers – Wired to Empower Rural Communities http://wp.me/p3if7-3FT
• The Role of Co-ops in Advancing the Broadband Vision http://wp.me/p3if7-3FR
• Honoring and Learning from our Past: Celebrating MRNet and MN’s first 25 years of the Internet http://wp.me/p3if7-3FN
• Navigating Challenging Broadband Decisions http://wp.me/p3if7-3FP
• Advancing the Vision Learning Stations – Community Success Stories http://wp.me/p3if7-3FL
• Welcome to the 2016 Broadband Conference http://wp.me/p3if7-3FF
• Voices from the Present, Visions of the Future http://wp.me/p3if7-3FD
• Blandin Broadband Communities pre-conference session: MN Broadband stories http://wp.me/p3if7-3G2
• Press release on the  MRNet award http://wp.me/p3if7-3GV

 

MN Broadband Task Force Notes

Task Force hears about broadband policies, including the VoIP bill and how that’s playing out for Charter and CenturyLink’s take on the Competitive Market Regulation. A national expert talks about how policy is playing out in other states. There’s a big push from all directions to level the regulatory playing field for providers. http://wp.me/p3if7-3Fr

Where does your county rank?

The Office of Broadband Development unveils details on broadband access by county. http://wp.me/p3if7-3GH Mississippi State University Extension unveils a way to rank digital divide by county. http://wp.me/p3if7-3GK

Is CAF2 enough in a community?

CAF2 funding requires a provider to upgrade only up to 10 Mbps down and 1 up. While that is an improvement in some areas, is it an improvement that will it be enough for current and future residents and businesses? http://wp.me/p3if7-3Go

Research Reports:

• NTIA surveys confirm reasons non-adopters don’t use broadband http://wp.me/p3if7-3GZ
• Broadband use spurs offline civic engagement http://wp.me/p3if7-3GN
• Better broadband reduces numbers of startup entrepreneurs in rural areas http://wp.me/p3if7-3H2
• What’s the cost per MB of broadband for a school? $0.73, $11 or $58 depending http://wp.me/p3if7-3Ft

Local Broadband News

Annandale

Midco reports that Annandale is getting fiber ahead of schedule

http://wp.me/p3if7-3Gz

Ely

Ely enthusiastically pursues Blandin Broadband opportunity http://wp.me/p3if7-3H4

Grand Meadow

Grand Meadow School District receives $115,000 from USA for distance learning http://wp.me/p3if7-3Gq

Kandiyohi County

Kandiyohi County moves forward with broadband grant plans with CTC http://wp.me/p3if7-3GD and http://wp.me/p3if7-3Fv

Nobles County

Nobles County talks about their Blandin Broadband Community projects. Highlights include digital inclusion projects that reach out to New Americans. http://wp.me/p3if7-3GX

Red Wing

A voice for broadband is a voice for rural: Gary Evans on Senator Schmit http://wp.me/p3if7-3FB

Redwood County

Redwood County talks about their Blandin Broadband Community projects. Highlights include their GIS system and concerted efforts to give non-adopters positive experiences with technology. http://wp.me/p3if7-3GT

Renville and Sibley Counties

RS Fiber communities talk about their Blandin Broadband Community projects. Highlights include their new innovation center where students and others will use to learn tech tools such as drones. http://wp.me/p3if7-3GR

St Louis Park

St Louis Park slowly but surely builds a fiber network http://wp.me/p3if7-3Gs

Sunrise Township

Sunrise Township petitions for subordinate service district bond to match CenturyLink’s CAF2 funding and get them to build FTTH service. http://wp.me/p3if7-3Gi

Upcoming Events

• Oct 5 – Minnesota Broadband Task Force meeting
• Oct 13-14 Minnesota Telecom Alliance (MTA)Fall Conference http://wp.me/p3if7-3EF
• Oct 18-20 Broadband Communities Conference http://wp.me/p3if7-3xR (Minneapolis)
• Oct 31 – Smart City Council accepts applications for community funding http://wp.me/p3if7-3H6
• Nov 2 – Minnesota Broadband Task Force meeting
• Dec 15 – Minnesota Broadband Task Force meeting

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.)