A recap of news from March…

Broadband Day on the Hill – March 15, 2017
More than 80 participants spoke with more than 40 legislators about the need for continued funding for the Office of Broadband Development and Border to Border Grants. They also heard from Lt Governor Tina Smith, a panel of legislators and a panel of broadband users from rural areas. http://wp.me/p3if7-41X (Get a view of the day from 6th grader Sammie Garrity, who was on a panel. http://wp.me/p3if7-42f)

Digital Divide Index – MN is slipping
The Digital Divide Index measures access to broadband and propensity of a community (County-level info available) to use that broadband. Minnesota’s measure went from 38.09 to 41.92 (lower score is better). http://wp.me/p3if7-43z

Akamai Report – MN broadband ranks #25-29
The latest Akamai Report is out Q4 (2016). This is how Minnesota ranks compared to other states: http://wp.me/p3if7-42i

• Average connection speed – #26
• Average peak connection speed – #27
• Percentage of population adopting 25 Mbps down and 3 Mbps up – #26

MN communities focusing on broadband
There are at least 10 communities (several multi-county communities) that are actively looking at efforts to improve broadband. State broadband funding makes it easier for them to create a business case and attract provider interest in upgrades and/or expansion. http://wp.me/p3if7-437

Rural counties with the highest levels of broadband have the highest levels of income
A study conducted by Cornell University found that rural counties with the highest levels of broadband have the highest levels of income and education and lower levels of unemployment and poverty. http://wp.me/p3if7-42R

Mediacom announces communities upgrading to Gig in 2017
Mediacom announced their plan to upgrade Minnesota customers last December. Recently they released their schedule for upgrades – by county and community. http://wp.me/p3if7-43s

How do we measure economic impact of broadband?
The Internet sector is currently credited with 6 percent of the national GDP, but is that accurate? The Internet Association white paper, Refreshing Our Understanding of the Internet Economy, outlines the deficiencies in the way economic impact of broadband is currently measured. http://wp.me/p3if7-43d

Broadband competition is essential to better service and lower costs in rural areas
Brookings recently looked at broadband in rural areas, postulating that competition is a key component to quality broadband in rural areas. http://wp.me/p3if7-42q

Notes from MN legislative session:

• MN House committee proposes $7 million for broadband grants for one year only and with $250,000 per year (for two years) for the Office of Broadband Development http://wp.me/p3if7-42C
• MN Senate committee proposes $10 million per year with $250,000 per year for the Office of Broadband Development http://wp.me/p3if7-42x
• House Committee Meeting notes on broadband: funding, VoIP and small cell equipment (Mar 15) http://wp.me/p3if7-41P
• A list of Technology discussions in the MN State House http://wp.me/p3if7-43J
• A list of Technology discussions in the MN State Senate http://wp.me/p3if7-43H
• Minnesota Legislature responds to Federal lessening of online privacy rules by stepping up state rules. http://wp.me/p3if7-43n (At least one MN broadband provider has stepped up their privacy rules. http://wp.me/p3if7-43p)
• Mesabi News reports on MN State Broadband funding issues http://wp.me/p3if7-42T
• Grand Forks Herald posts an Od Ed on importance off broadband from former Senator Matt Schmit http://wp.me/p3if7-42b
• What to tell your legislator about broadband – based on their top concerns http://wp.me/p3if7-41J
• Industry view of MN small cell legislation http://wp.me/p3if7-41L
• Mille Lacs Messenger reports on State Broadband Funding http://wp.me/p3if7-41x
• VoIP deregulation conversation in MN Senate Committee (Mar 9 Notes) http://wp.me/p3if7-41q
• A MN suburban voice for rural broadband in Pioneer Press http://wp.me/p3if7-41b
• Cybersecurity needs State investment – but how much is enough? http://wp.me/p3if7-41k

Federal Legislation/Policy Items

• FCC pushes Lifeline decisions to states http://wp.me/p3if7-43x
• Five steps to help rural communities decide federal broadband subsidies – recommendations from Jonathan Chambers http://wp.me/p3if7-42X
• Congress moves to overturn online privacy rules http://wp.me/p3if7-431
• Klobuchar, Capito Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Measure the Economic Impact of Broadband on the U.S. Economy http://wp.me/p3if7-41V
• Federal communications law compliance requirements, the E-Rate Program, and Federal Universal Service Program http://wp.me/p3if7-41i

Local Broadband News

Blackduck and Hines
Paul Bunyan upgrade broadband access in Backduck and Hines. http://wp.me/p3if7-42d

Brainerd
Rise in tech companies in Brainerd Area are due to Broadband access http://wp.me/p3if7-42P

Kandiyohi County
CTC hosts a meeting to discuss their Border to Border project in Spicer MN http://wp.me/p3if7-42F  http://wp.me/p3if7-425

Kandiyohi County to sell bonds next month to finance broadband project http://wp.me/p3if7-41F

Lac qui Parle County
The Computer Commuter is a revamped mini-bus bringing broadband and computers to communities around Lac qui Parle county. http://wp.me/p3if7-42V

Mantorville
Details on Mantorville Border to Border grant http://wp.me/p3if7-41m

Twin Cities
National Digital Inclusion Conference unveils wealth of resources in the Twin Cities http://wp.me/p3if7-422

Willmar
An app developed at the Hack2O last fall is still in development thanks to funds from the Blandin Foundation, staff time from Ridgewater College and the RITA program. http://wp.me/p3if7-43g

Upcoming Events & Opportunities

• March 9 – Blandin Webinar Archive: Broadband at the County Level http://wp.me/p3if7-41t
• April 7-8 – Two Hackfests in Bemidji http://wp.me/p3if7-40o
• April 19 – MN Task Force Meeting http://tinyurl.com/zszfk7d
• April 27 – Webinar: Broadband Finance Strategies http://wp.me/p3if7-43j
• May 4 – MN Task Force Meeting http://tinyurl.com/zszfk7d
• May 16-17 – Net Inclusion (St Paul)http://wp.me/p3if7-3MN
• June 21 – MACTA Annual Conference U of MN Continuing Education Center
• June 28 – MN Task Force Meeting http://tinyurl.com/zszfk7d
• July 19 – MN Task Force Meeting http://tinyurl.com/zszfk7d
• Aug 16 – MN Task Force Meeting http://tinyurl.com/zszfk7d
• Sep 28 – MN Task Force Meeting http://tinyurl.com/zszfk7d
• Oct 18 – MN Task Force Meeting http://tinyurl.com/zszfk7d
• Nov 2 – MN Task Force Meeting http://tinyurl.com/zszfk7d
• Dec 7 – MN Task Force Meeting http://tinyurl.com/zszfk7d

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.)

Opportunities

• Broadband Innovation and Robust Network Feasibility Fund grant award amounts range from $1,000 to $25,000; matching funds are required. Grant application deadlines for 2017 are April 7, June 23 and September 22.http://wp.me/p3if7-3M7
• Broadband Installer Specialists Needed http://wp.me/p3if7-416

Stirring the Pot

This month I offer congratulations to Chisago Lakes Minnesota.  Two years ago, five small towns decided to identify and work together as one community in the America’s Best Communities competition sponsored by Frontier Communications, Dish Network, The Weather Channel and Co-Bank. Chisago Lakes includes Chisago City, Lindstrom, Center City, Shafer and Taylors Falls and several townships, a total population of about 20,000.  Leadership for this initiative has come from all sectors – business, health care, local units of government, community volunteers, the school district, Chisago County EDA/HRA, community foundation and chamber of commerce.  I am honored to have worked with Chisago Lakes throughout this planning and implementation process.  They have proven that both vision and leadership matters.

Chisago Lakes was one of more than 400 communities that submitted initial applications to ABC in pursuit of the top prizes of $3 million, $2 million and $1 million dollars.  Clearly, the prospective rewards were a huge motivation for the Chisago Lakes community to enter this competition, especially in the first several meetings.  After that, the positive rewards of working together towards a clearly defined mission on community-established priorities overwhelmed the focus on the awards.  Of course, the idea of winning $3 million dollars is always a pretty good motivator when momentum slowed!

As one of 50 quarter-finalists, Chisago Lakes was awarded $50,000 to create their economic revitalization plan.  They used these funds for project management outside consulting, feasibility studies and community engagement.  The plan has six elements: Marketing and Branding; Broadband and Technology; Energy; Healthy Community; Trails; and Workforce.  Based on this written plan, Chisago Lakes was selected as one of 15 communities to share their plans via a ten-minute presentation in Durham North Carolina.  So much to say, so little time.  Many hours went into creating and practicing that ten-minutes so that every word mattered.   Chisago Lakes’ pitch moved us forward as one of eight finalists.

Even before being named a finalist, we had begun implementing our plan.  With the $100,000 finalist prize in hand, Chisago Lakes continued to implement its plan using mostly volunteers on self-directed work teams.  They used the plan to guide their work, pivoting as necessary and as opportunities arose.  Late in the year, a housing team formed and began work on a key community issue that had been identified as a priority in our planning process, but had been set aside due to the long timelines on housing development. Success on the other projects encouraged housing leaders to initiate their efforts.

ABC Judges are now at work reviewing Chisago Lakes’ work on the 19 specific projects documented in more than 70 pages of reports. Well over 100 community volunteers worked to implement the plan. Multiple hundreds participated in ABC – related events.  Several million dollars were invested in these projects – by telecommunications providers, electric utilities, local businesses, and government. Needless to say, the excitement is building in Chisago Lakes.  The announcement is April 19th in Denver.  Such amazing results! Good luck Chisago Lakes!!