Monthly Archives: April 2019

National $2 trillion investment in infrastructure still on table

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The Hill reports…

Democratic congressional leaders said they held a constructive meeting with President Trump on Monday at which they agreed to seek a deal on a $2 trillion infrastructure bill.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Senate Democratic Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) left the meeting at noon sounding a decidedly positive note, calling the meeting with Trump at the White House constructive and good.

They said they had not agreed on how to pay for a $2 trillion bill to improve the nation’s roads, bridges, waterways and broadband, but that they had agreed to meet in another three weeks.

A Better Wireless has a Solution for Rural MN – but they need access to spectrum

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The Benton Foundation has posted a column from Mitchell Koep, CEO of A Better Wireless, about the need in rural areas (specifically rural Minnesota) for better broadband to create a level playing field for students…

I know firsthand what it’s like living on the wrong side of the digital divide because my local community in rural Minnesota has been experiencing it for far too long. That is one of the reasons why I founded A Better Wireless, a wireless ISP that is seeking to connect rural Minnesotans who lack affordable broadband access.

The most upsetting part about the digital divide is the lack of access our students face. As more teachers assign homework that requires an internet connection, students without home access are at a severe disadvantage. My granddaughter and her third-grade classmates are living in this divide known as the “Homework Gap.” At Battle Lake Independent School District in Otter Tail County, Minnesota – where my granddaughter attends school – 23 percent of all families with an enrolled student lack broadband access. This Homework Gap not only impacts families from participating in digital life but also severely inhibits students from accessing the same educational opportunities that benefit their urban peers.

Koep offers a solution with wireless…

Last year, Otter Tail County approached commercial providers asking to help solve our digital divide. Incumbent telephone companies told the county it would take $49 million to expand fiber along roadways in just the southern third of the county. This plan would require rural residents to pay to bury fiber from the road down their driveways—some of which are half a mile long or longer.

A Better Wireless submitted a proposal to connect these same households with fixed wireless for a fraction of that cost. For just $8.6 million, we would upgrade capacity for county schools — which currently pay $2,300 per month for 200 Mbps service — to gigabit access for just $750-$1000 per month. For students who ride the bus up to an hour one way to and from school—a journey that takes even longer when we receive 30 inches of snow—we plan to equip school buses with internet access to turn travel time into homework time. And families with enrolled students that qualify for free and reduced lunch plans would get 25/10 Mbps service for just $15/month.

Our plan also includes offering fixed wireless broadband access to every resident in the county for just $45 per month. In addition, we will offer our public safety officials access to a mobile, public safety network.

But they need access to spectrum to make it happen,,,

But our plan hinges on the Federal Communications Commission making currently unused Educational Broadband Service (EBS) spectrum available to educational entities. While EBS has been licensed in roughly half of the United States, geography covering 85 percent of Americans, the remaining half covering roughly 50 million Americans has never been licensed. The FCC has now proposed to finish licensing this spectrum — which has essentially been frozen since 1995 — to local educational entities. A Better Wireless has already developed partnerships with schools interested in applying for licenses if the spectrum is made available. We have also joined an advocacy group with 70 other companies and educational entities called Educators and Broadband Providers for American Rural Communities (EBPARC) to help make this proposal a reality. I recently traveled to Washington (DC) to tell the FCC and Congress about the critical need for smaller operators like mine to access this key spectrum band.

The biggest threat to our plan is that large, national, wireless providers are urging the FCC to sell these licenses to them instead of continuing to license to educational entities. Rural schools like those in Otter Tail County will not be able to compete in a spectrum auction against large telecommunications companies—the same companies that have been ignoring our community for far too long. Even if resources were available, schools in some states are not legally allowed to spend resources on spectrum.

Senator Sparks promotes $30 million bill for broadband

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The Austin Daily Herald posts a column from Senator Dan Sparks…

The long nights of the 2019 Legislative Session have arrived. This week my colleagues and I in the Senate started to take up budget bills on the floor, and there has been robust debate and discussion on these important issues as we work together to create a final budget for Minnesota. Our budget is the highest priority for this year, and we must make sure we pass a final budget that reflects our shared values.

The very first budget bill that my colleagues and I passed this year came out of our Agriculture, Rural Development, and Housing Finance Committee. As a member of this committee, I have been working with my colleagues all session hearing bills that fall into this area. Our agriculture industry and rural communities face unique challenges, and we have heard from farmers, advocates, and local officials about many of these issues, and addressing them has been a priority.

A major component of this budget is a $30 million investment in the state’s Border-to-Border Broadband Grant Program. Right now, thousands of Minnesotans lack access to high-quality, high-speed internet. As our society and economy continue to become more interconnected, lacking access to broadband hurts our community’s ability to succeed. This funding is a good step, but I was optimistic that this year we would invest more. In committee, I offered an amendment to match the Governor and House position of $70 million in investment and hope that we will get closer to that number in our final budget.

MN Rep Haley promotes no new taxes but supports funding for broadband

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The Red Wing Eagle posts a column from Representative Barb Haley…

With less than one month remaining in the 2019 legislative session, lawmakers must soon agree upon our state’s budget for the next two years. In the weeks ahead, many consequential decisions are set to be made by the Legislature.

The House Democrat majority has assembled its bills to fund state government, many of which have been debated at length and voted on this past week.

Although I’m hopeful we can improve these bills before they arrive at the governor’s desk, I’m concerned with the state they’re currently in. Atop my list of concerns are the excessive mandates and huge tax and government spending increases at these bills’ core.

She supports broadband funding…

Nonetheless, these budget bills contain some good measures that I’m proud to support, such as job training grants, broadband funding, mental health grant increases, and others. I’m hopeful each side can ensure these beneficial provisions are a part of the final, compromised agreement between the House, Senate, and governor. I know Republicans and Democrats ultimately share the goal of making Minnesota the best state it can be. We also all understand the issues — such as affordable healthcare, education funding, and transportation funding — that are important to Minnesotans.

The current House Jobs Omnibus Bill passed the House floor 74-59 and contains $70 million for the grant program over the next two years.

Who voted for and against broadband funding in MN?

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Here’s a run down on how broadband funding is doing in Minnesota Legislature. I’ve already mentioned that the House is at $70 million (biennium) and the Senate at $30 million (biennium). But here’s who voted how. To be fair, these are big bills with lots of moving pieces and one piece is broadband.

The House Daily Session Weekly Wrap up reports on the HF 2208, which includes broadband funding set at $70 million the the biennium. …

After a late night Tuesday and a long day of arguing on Wednesday, the House finally passed its omnibus jobs and economic development, energy and climate, and telecommunications policy and finance bill.

As amended, HF2208, sponsored by Rep. Tim Mahoney (DFL-St. Paul), received a favorable 74-59 vote. It now heads to the Senate, where it is sponsored by Sen. Eric Pratt (R-Prior Lake).

Here’s how that vote went:

Those who voted in the affirmative were:

Acomb Bahner Becker-Finn Bernardy Bierman
Brand Cantrell Carlson, A. Carlson, L. Christensen
Claflin Considine Davnie Dehn Ecklund
Edelson Elkins Fischer Freiberg Gomez
Halverson Hansen Hassan Hausman Her
Hornstein Hortman Howard Huot Klevorn
Koegel Kotyza-Witthuhn Kunesh-Podein Lee Lesch
Liebling Lien Lillie Lippert Loeffler
Long Mahoney Mann Mariani Marquart
Masin Moller Moran Morrison Murphy
Nelson, M. Noor Olson Pelowski Persell
Pinto Poppe Pryor Richardson Sandell
Sandstede Sauke Schultz Stephenson Sundin
Tabke Vang Wagenius Wazlawik Winkler
Wolgamott Xiong, J. Xiong, T. Youakim

Those who voted in the negative were:

Albright Anderson Backer Bahr Baker
Bennett Boe Daniels Daudt Davids
Demuth Dettmer Drazkowski Erickson Fabian
Franson Garofalo Green Grossell Gruenhagen
Gunther Haley Hamilton Heinrich Heintzeman
Hertaus Johnson Jurgens Kiel Koznick
Kresha Layman Lislegard Lucero Lueck
McDonald Mekeland Miller Munson Nash
Nelson, N. Neu Nornes O’Driscoll O’Neill
Petersburg Poston Quam Robbins Runbeck
Schomacker Scott Swedzinski Theis Torkelson
Urdahl Vogel West Zerwas

The Senate Media reports on SF2226 Omnibus Ag Bill, which includes $30 million for broadband…

The omnibus agriculture bill, SF 2226, sponsored by Senator Torrey Westrom, R-Elbow Lake, promotes modernization of farm technologies, funds soybean research and marketing, expands rural broadband, encourages modular housing construction and funds mental health services for Minnesota farmers and their families.

The Journal of the Senate reports on the vote…

S.F. No. 2226 was read the third time, as amended, and placed on its final passage.​ The question was taken on the passage of the bill, as amended.​ The roll was called, and there were yeas 43 and nays 24, as follows:​

Those who voted in the affirmative were:​

Abeler​ Anderson, B.​ Anderson, P.​ Bakk​ Benson​ Chamberlain​ Dahms​ Draheim​ Dziedzic​ Eichorn​ Eken​ Frentz​ Gazelka​ Goggin​ Hall​ Hoffman​ Housley​ Howe​ Ingebrigtsen​ Jasinski​ Jensen​ Johnson​ Kiffmeyer​ Koran​ Lang​ Limmer​ Mathews​ Miller​ Nelson​ Newman​ Osmek​ Pratt​ Rarick​ Relph​ Rosen​ Ruud​ Senjem​ Simonson​ Sparks​ Tomassoni​ Utke​ Weber​ Westrom​

Those who voted in the negative were:​

Bigham​ Carlson​ Champion​ Clausen​ Cohen​ Cwodzinski​ Dibble​ Eaton​ Franzen​ Hawj​ Hayden​ Isaacson​ Kent​ Klein​ Laine​ Latz​ Little​ Marty​ Newton​ Pappas​ Rest​ Torres Ray​ Wiger​ Wiklund​

Next step? The bills will be reconciled with funding proposals in conference committee.

A pre-feasibility study tool to help you understand your broadband options: CN QuickStart

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Last week I met up with Chris Mitchell from the Institute for Local Self Reliance (Community Networks) to talk about a new service/tool they are offering – CN QuickStart. They have partnered with NEO Partners to create a tool that helps communities get a better understanding of what their broadband options are – from a high level. The tool will look at your community and sketch out options for three potential networks: fiber to the home, wireless and hybrid fiber and wireless network. It will include cost estimates and recommendations.

This isn’t meant to replace a feasibility study. It’s sort of a feasibility study precursor. A quick ballpark answer to get a conversation going. The cost for the service is $1,000 plus 40 cents per premise in the study.

I think it’s a great idea and I think you can learn a lot by getting with something like this. Networks can range greatly – but people still want to know how much it’ll be. I’ve often said it’s like asking how much a wedding is. So much depends on whether you’re going to serve brats, wear Vera Wang or fly everyone down to Las Vegas. But talking to someone who knows networks helps a community understand the types of decisions you need to make and the difference those decisions will make.

Save the Date Oct 8-10 – MN Fall Broadband Conference – Innovation: Putting Broadband to Work

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Got broadband? Join us to make the most of it. Need broadband? We can help with that too! Our goal is to challenge and inspire community champions from across Minnesota. We will showcase examples of broadband-enabled economic and community development and celebrate the community leaders whose hard work and vision we have to thank.

This three-day conference at the beautiful Grand View Lodge in Nisswa, MN will offer learning and engagement on many aspects of the challenges and benefits of broadband access and use, from “Pursuing Broadband 101,” to digital inclusion tools and strategies for diverse audiences, to examples of tech-transformed health care, education, and Ag, to case studies of improved community broadband.  Providers will discuss trends in deployments and offer advice to communities. Blandin Foundation will recognize community leaders who, since these annual conferences began fifteen years ago, have lead the way to better broadband.  Besides panel discussions, presentations, and demonstrations, we will hear directly from millennials about how they decide where to live and work, and there will be some magic.

It’s a great time to network with people who can help you put broadband to work. It’s a great place to bring leaders from your community who could use a little inspiration to recognize the power of broadband.

Call of the Senate with Senator Ron Latz on Net Neutrality and Internet Privacy

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Call of the Senate is a podcast with MN Senators. This week they spoke with Senator Ron Latz. He talks about his spearheading Net Neutrality and Internet Privacy. You can hear him below.

https://soundcloud.com/callofthesenate/senatorronlatz#t=14:12

Thriving by Design Minnesota Equity Blueprint First Release – Human Capital

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Last Friday I joined Growth & Justice for the release of the Human Capital section of the Minnesota Equity Blueprint. The first report reveals challenges and opportunities, along with dozens of practical solutions that will help realize our state’s full human potential.   Solutions are organized by topic headings:  Economic Security, Peaceful Communities, Educational Attainment, and Healthy People and Communities.

The Blueprint includes many recommendations. I have pulled out some that seem to relate to broadband – or are solutions that are deployed more easily with broadband.

  • Ensure that work provides a route out of poverty
    High tech jobs, knowledge worker jobs generally pay well.
  • Increased opportunity for Minnesotans with Disabilities.
    Telework opportunities can help Minnesotans with various disabilities and/or mobility issues
  • Career Pathways: Promote and increase investment in the most effective programs that equip young people for living wage careers in technology, trades and entrepreneurship
  • Expand affordable access to health care
    It can be cheaper to provide access to remote care.
  • Expand telehealth.
  • Improve access to care for vulnerable populations such as elders and people with disabilities.
    Remote monitoring keeps people in their homes longer.
  • Expand access to mental health services.
    Shortages of mental health services in rural areas can be improved with remote access to mental health.
  • Prevent and treat opioid addiction.
    Minnesota has piloted some remote opioid addiction support.

Austin Herald asks Senate bump up $30 million for broadband back to $70 million

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The Austin Herald reports…

The Minnesota Senate’s reversal in how much in funding its willing to invest in the Border-to-Border Broadband Grant Program is disappointing and, should it pass at the current amount of $30 million, it could constitute a costly delay in the economic growth of Greater Minnesota.

Earlier this week, the Senate passed its Senate Agriculture Ominbus Bill by a vote of 43-24. In that bill it allotted $30 million for broadband in the state, down from its original proposal of $70 million.

The Governor’s Broadband Task Force, in its annual report released in 2018, found that $70 million every two years is needed to meet the 2022 state speed goal of 25mbps download and 5mbps upload to every home and business.

To go further, $70 million every two years keeps on track the state statutory speed goals of 100mbps download and 20mbps upload.

It goes without saying that broadband for the entire state of Minnesota is a much needed boon for small business and farmers alike. Slow upload and download speeds make it difficult for people working in those areas to do even the day-to-day things necessary to operate their business in an efficient manner.

10 Jobs that are Going Away

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Governing recently post their list of the 10 jobs that are disappearing most quickly. Here’s the list:

  1. Telemarketers
  2. File Clerks
  3. Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors and Machine Operators
  4. Bill and Account Collectors
  5. Data Entry Keyers
  6. Order Clerks
  7. Chief Executives
  8. Production Worker Helpers
  9. Installation, Maintenance and Repair Worker Helpers
  10. Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers

It’s an interesting list. There are some that appear to be victims of automation – the production workers, order clerks and repair workers. There are some that are victims of the Internet – telemarketers anything related to the postal service. There is one that surprised me – telecom line installers. Governing points to cord-cutting as a factor.

I mention this because I think it’s valuable to think about the role broadband, not only as the cause of some job changes, but as the solution. If I were talking to kids about jobs (and I have teenagers, so I do), I would encourage them consider the new skills they need and new jobs that will be born of new opportunity.

MN Senate talks up their $30 million proposed for broadband grants

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The Voice of Alexandria reports…

Value-added agriculture, farm mental health, and more options for affordable housing are features Republicans highlight in a 258-million-dollar bill passed in the Minnesota Senate.  There’s also money for expanding broadband Internet access in Greater Minnesota and Elbow Lake Senator Torrey Westrom says “30-million dollars in a strong investment.”  Governor Walz has 70-million his budget, but Westrom claims it’s couple with significant tax increases.  Westrom says the bill also includes loans and grants to help small farms upgrade technology, and funding for a “soybean innovation campus” in Crookston.

It’s worth nothing that the House has currently proposed $70 million for broadband.

The Neighbor (out of Wadena) also reports…

The Minnesota Senate passed bipartisan legislation to fund agriculture, rural development, and affordable housing in Minnesota.

The comprehensive budget bill places an emphasis on rural broadband expansion, invests in affordable manufactured housing and home ownership, prioritizes value-added agriculture opportunities that directly impact farmers and increases resources for farmer mental health services.

Following the passage of the bill, Sen. Justin Eichorn, R-Grand Rapids, issued the following statement. …

The bill also funds the Minnesota Border-to-Border Rural Broadband expansion program at $30 million, a significant increase in the legislature’s appropriation over the last biennium.

 

Differences Remain Between House and Senate Broadband Proposals

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From the MN Rural Broadband Coalition…

The House and Senate passed their broadband funding bills this week, but each bill makes drastically different investments in the Border-to-Border Broadband Grant Program. HF 2208, the House Jobs Omnibus Bill, passed the House floor 74-59 and contains $70 million for the grant program over the next two years. SF 2226, the Senate Agriculture Omnibus Bill, passed the Senate 43-24 but only contains $30 million in one-time funding for the grant program.
“The Minnesota Rural Broadband Coalition’s top priority this year has been full funding for the Border-to-Border Broadband Grant Program. The House proposal of $70 million does just that,” said Nancy Hoffman, Chair of the MN Rural Broadband Coalition. “Although we’re thankful the Senate has allocated $30 million, we believe one-time funding perpetuates the feast-famine cycle of uncertainty that has plagued the grant program since its inception. We can and should do more.”
The Governor’s Broadband Task Force released its annual report in 2018 and found that $70 million every two years is needed to meet the 2022 state speed goal of 25mbps download and 3mbps upload to every home and business. These funds will also keep us on track to meeting the state’s 2026 statutory speed goals of 100mbps download and 20mbps upload.
The Coalition looks forward to the House, Senate, and Governor working together to reach an agreement on broadband funding that will make sure the state meets its statutorily required speed goals and provide world class broadband to every person in the state.

MHTA Spring Conference May 9 in Mpls

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If you’re interested in technology and innovation or economic development – this will be a great conference…

MHTA Annual Spring Conference

This annual one-day tech conference in Brooklyn Park is attended by business, technology and industry leaders as well as technology influencers and technology strategists.

Thursday, May 9, 2019

Minneapolis Marriott Northwest
8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Here is what you’ll gain by attending:

  • New insights on big disruptive trends. Keynote speaker Michael Ljung will expose trends affecting our industries as discussed in Accenture’s Tech Vision 2019 report .
  • Breakout sessions that dive into the keynote themes. Each breakout period includes workshops for business leaders and for technologists, allowing you to easily find topics that help you grow in your role.
  • Cool tech you might not see every day. Check out premium VR with REM5, test ride in VSI Labs’ autonomous research vehicle, drive robots created by the Edina Green Machine and more!
  • A dynamic expo. Exhibitors are competing to wow you with their tech, demos and swag
  • Networking with leaders at all levels in all business sizes
  • A closing session that puts ideas into action. Executives from Seagate Technology, Target and Cargill share how they drive business outcomes using new technologies.

Registration Fees

Conference fee (thru May 8): $210/MHTA members, $275/non-members
Onsite registration (May 9): $285/MHTA members, $375/non-members

Blue Earth County investigates broadband with feasibility study

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Mankato Free Press reports…

Blue Earth County is set to look into its rural broadband needs after receiving a $25,000 grant from the Blandin Foundation.

The Blue Earth County Board signed off on the grant Tuesday morning. The money will be used for a feasibility study that will identify where broadband access is lacking throughout the county and recommend potential solutions to get rural areas up to speed with other cities.

“We really are trying to get input from the broader community to say, ‘What is the need? How can that need best be met?'” County Administrator Bob Meyer said.

County officials plan to hire telecommunication consultants with Finley Engineering using the grant and county funding to conduct the study later this year. The county also is meeting with local internet companies to see what they would need to expand broadband across the area.

Almost all of Blue Earth County’s internet options meet the state’s immediate high-speed goals — at least 25 mbps downloads and 3 mbps uploads by 2022. Yet only about 14 percent of the county was equipped to handle at least 100 mpbs download speeds and 20 mbps upload speeds.

Every year I look at how each county is doing with broadband deployment. I often see counties that are doing fine today but aren’t working on plans for tomorrow. So it’s exciting to see a county that’s planning for the future!