It’s always nice to see Minnesota get a nice nod for our broadband policy. This time is came from an editorial in West Virginia…

Broadband cooperatives are a key part of an aggressive rural broadband deployment strategy in Minnesota, where Governor Mark Dayton’s (D) ambitious Border-To-Border Broadband Program to boost high-speed Internet access in rural communities — above a state established goal for Internet speed — includes investments and partnership by telecommunications providers such as Frontier Communications.

In this small comment is a recognition that Minnesota does well to support cooperatives and established telecom providers. That’s part of the beauty of the Border to Border grants especially as managed by the Office of Broadband Development. All flavors of providers are welcome to apply for grants – and grants have gone to various flavors. It suits the playing field of rural Minnesota – the communities aren’t cookie cutter and neither are the broadband solutions.