A recap of posts from October…
MN Broadband Task Force Notes
The Minnesota Broadband Task Force starts to talk about their annual report and what they want to include in it. A coalition of rural interests asks them to focus on three recommendations: fund the Office of Broadband Development, fund the border to border grants and adapt the grant requirements especially to reduce the hindering impact of the current challenge process where incumbent providers can put the kibosh on proposed projects by saying that they have plans to expand their network to include the proposed areas in the next 18 months. http://wp.me/p3if7-3Hs
MN Politicians on Broadband
Broadband is part of the political discussion in many races. In the last couple weeks, many politicians have mentioned it, often as a priority. http://wp.me/p3if7-3IX
Broadband Communities Conference: Tips for communities and providers
The Broadband Communities Magazine held their Midwest Regional Conference in Minnesota. They made the case for broadband in a community http://wp.me/p3if7-3IE, emphasized the impact of local support http://wp.me/p3if7-3IG, and offered advice for partnership. http://wp.me/p3if7-3IK At the event, the Institute for Local Self Reliance had suggestions for how Minnesota could smooth the road for community networks. http://wp.me/p3if7-3Ja
Possible Broadband Benefits to Minnesota
Strategic Network Group (SNG) http://wp.me/p3if7-3IR recently released possible outcomes of improved broadband in Minnesota…
- Businesses adopting … 3,949
- New Revenues/Business … $60,000
- Annual GDP … $293 million
- Annual Tax Revenue … $11 million
- Total New Jobs … 4,264
Minnesota Government Gets a B+ for Digital
Government Technology recently released the results of their 2016 Digital States Survey. Minnesota gets a B+. http://wp.me/p3if7-3HP
Local Broadband News
Brainerd
- Brainerd Lakes Area Economic Development Corporation shares their High Tech Center research project report http://wp.me/p3if7-3I7
Carlton County
- Carlton County gives a BBC Update and talks about working together as a county http://wp.me/p3if7-3If
Central Woodlands
- Central Woodlands County gives a BBC Update and describes their local solutions http://wp.me/p3if7-3Ib
Chisago County
- Chisago County gives a BBC Update and including their continued success with the America’s Best Competition http://wp.me/p3if7-3Id
Dakota County
- Dakota County has applied for a Minnesota Border to Border Broadband grant http://wp.me/p3if7-3Io
- Dakota County noted for “collaborate intensely and dig once” strategy http://wp.me/p3if7-3Ho
Ely
- Ely has applied for the Blandin Broadband Communities program http://wp.me/p3if7-3IH
Iron Range
- Local citizens get ready to make improvements in their life based on the improvements that Paul Bunyan recently made to local broadband service http://wp.me/p3if7-3Iw
Minneapolis
- The City of Minneapolis is inviting citizens to chime in on their Comprehensive Plan (2040) online http://wp.me/p3if7-3J3
- AT&T launches fixed wireless trial, which targets apartment complexes in several cities, including Minneapolis http://wp.me/p3if7-3Im
Nobles County
- Nobles County wants better broadband; they currently rank 35 in Minnesota http://wp.me/p3if7-3I3
Otter Tail County
- Otter Tail County recognizes they are behind in broadband access http://wp.me/p3if7-3J1
Red Wing
- Red Wing Ignite promotes their FTTH network with entrepreneurial training and support http://wp.me/p3if7-3IZ
Redwood County
- Surveys in Redwood County give a taste of what it’s like to live without adequate broadband http://wp.me/p3if7-3Ih
Resilient Region (Region Five)
- The Resilient Region gives a BBC Update, including a focus on community development http://wp.me/p3if7-3Hh
Sherburne County
- Sherburne County gives a BBC Update and including details from their feasibility study http://wp.me/p3if7-3Hl
Turtle River, Puposky and Tenstrike
- GigaZone Comes to Turtle River, Puposky, and Tenstrike http://wp.me/p3if7-3Ik
Willmar
- Ridgewater College and RITA host their second annual Hack fest with dozens of participants creating a apps, prototypes and relationships http://wp.me/p3if7-3Iu
Upcoming Events
- Nov 2 – Minnesota Broadband Task Force meeting
- Nov 10: Census 2020: The Count Starts Now – Free Webinar http://wp.me/p3if7-3Jj
- 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.)
Stirring the Pot
Please imagine that as next spring approaches, a health instructor in a rural community announces to the class that new graduation standards require that they bike ten miles per day during April and May. Some of the kids think this was great because they already regularly ride fancy racing bike. Other kids complain that their bikes are old and too small and equipped with fat, knobby tires. Others have to share their bike with their siblings and can only ride every other day. Still others live on a gravel road where biking is dangerous.
“Don’t worry, you can stay after school and use one of the two bikes that the school owns, but you can’t take them off of school property and you have to be done by 4 pm,” said the teacher. “And you will have to take turns with all of the other kids that don’t have bikes. And if you are on the track team, or in the play or any other activity, you will just have to manage somehow.”
It’s clear that many of these kids’ parents are going to be calling the teacher, the principal and the superintendent saying “This is ridiculous!” And it is.
Yet this is a year-round learning deficit for all the kids that lack computers and Internet access across rural Minnesota. How is our state and your community handling this?