Monthly Archives: June 2019

Paul Bunyan Communications Announces Construction of New Customer Service and Technology Center in Grand Rapids

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Great news for Grand Rapids from Paul Bunyan…

Paul Bunyan Communications has announced they will be constructing a key, new facility in Grand Rapids beginning this summer and opening in the late spring of 2020.

“It’s our hope that our new customer service and technology center will be a great addition to the Grand Rapids community and reinforce our cooperative’s commitment to the city and region.  It will also position us to better serve this important and expanding part of our service area well into the future.  I’m very excited that our employees, growing membership base and potential new customers will soon benefit from this great new facility,” said Gary Johnson, Paul Bunyan Communications CEO & General Manager.

The member-based, non-profit cooperative began expanding its all-fiber optic network to the Cohasset and Grand Rapids areas in 2004. Since then, Paul Bunyan Communications has continued to aggressively expand to rural areas of Itasca and St. Louis counties providing state of the art, gigabit Internet and other communication services to areas lacking these critical services  Paul Bunyan Communications is now the largest broadband cooperative in the state of Minnesota.

“I’m really excited that Paul Bunyan Communications is investing in a new customer service and technology center here.  The cooperative provides first class communication services to the region and with their commitment to local customer service also provides many good paying jobs in the technology field.  I can’t wait to see their operations move to this beautiful new facility next year,” said Rick Blake, Grand Rapids City Councilor

“We are excited that Paul Bunyan has committed to expanding their office and service delivery in Grand Rapids.  They are an important partner in our community.  Economic development is currently one of the priorities of the County Board.  Expansion of high speed internet is vital to that growth and improved customer service will certainly add benefit,” said Davin Tinquist, Itasca County Board Chair.

“Paul Bunyan has played an integral part in ‘connecting’ much of Itasca County through their broadband expansions,” said Tamara Lowney, President of Itasca Economic Development Corporation (IEDC).  “We value their partnership with IEDC and their continued investment into our area, both through their expansion and their community minded investments.  Their leadership in providing broadband to our rural communities in critical to attracting and retaining our workforce and families.”

The first Paul Bunyan Communications office in Grand Rapids was in leased space in the Central Square Mall from 2005-2008.  To meet growing customer demand, their current larger leased retail space was opened in 2008 on Pokegama Ave South which will remain open until the cooperative-owned facility construction is complete.

The construction manager of the project is Kraus-Anderson (KA), one of the nation’s premier commercial general contractors and construction managers. Paul Bunyan Communications and KA have put a priority on hiring local contractors who are members of the cooperative for the project whenever feasible.  KA has a deep and valued relationship with Paul Bunyan Communications, having constructed portions of their cooperative headquarters in Bemidji along with several additions, network facilities and remodeling projects.

 

Wisconsin invests $44 million in rural broadband

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Sen. Howard Marklein (WI) talks about their legislative investments…

The Legislature completed our work on the state budget, and I am proud to say that we invest in the people and the needs of our communities while protecting taxpayers. It is especially helpful for rural Wisconsin, and I have worked hard to make sure the rural voice was heard in this discussion. Rural Wisconsin matters. …

We included $44 million for rural broadband.

Great for Wisconsin – but I think I hear footsteps approaching. Minnesota plans to invest $40 million.

 

I know nothing about football but suddenly the Viking/Packer rivalry is real. That’s not really true; I’m glad that Wisconsin is investing. The nature of the network is that it’s stronger when all segments are stronger. But it is a reminder that we need to keep investing to keep vital!

Growth & Justice Blue Print – economic development discussed in Little Falls

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Yesterday Growth and Justice released the latest section of the Minnesota Equity Blueprint – with special focus on economic development. The event was held at Sprout Growers and Makers Marketplace in Little Falls, MN. We heard from folks from Region Five Development Commission, Rural Renewable Energy Alliance, Five Wings Art Council, The Initiative Foundation and others.

You can watch the meeting in its entirety below.

Growth & Justice does a good job promoting rural and urban partnerships. Yesterday they talked about entrepreneurship, childcare, welcoming new people into the communities (immigrants and others), using art for placemaking and more. (The next section should address broadband more directly. Can’t wait!) These are the issues that are thorns in the side of residents.

It was interesting to hear from the presenters and the questions they got. Region Five has a program where they work with businesses and communities to be more welcoming – again of immigrants or others, like new graduates.  There was a small group of protesters, who did not like the idea of welcoming immigrants. They didn’t think their community needed it. Region Five explained that businesses and communities came to them for help. They aren’t door knocking for clients. Receiving their welcoming service is NOT mandated or required to receive a grant, loan or other service.

The vocal minority thought they spoke for the community – but clearly they didn’t speak for the whole community because Region Five has a waiting list for their welcoming services.

It reminded me of broadband discussions in some communities. Generally businesses want broadband. Generally anyone with kids in school wants it. But sometimes there is a group of vocal and/or powerful (on boards or otherwise in a decision-making position) who doesn’t think the community wants to invest in broadband. I remember attending a meeting in Sunrise Township where board members needed some persuading to understand that many people wanted broadband. (Now they have it.)

Communities without broadband have difficulties retaining, never mind attracting new residents and businesses. At the Growth and Justice meeting I was reminded that the State Demographer has reported that immigration is fueling population growth. Communities that aren’t welcoming will have difficulty attracting new residents. Broadband and immigration are coming; communities ignore that fact at their own peril.

JOB OPPORTUNITY: Director of State Broadband and Telecommunications Access (WI)

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A good opportunity for the right person, and Wisconsin isn’t that far away…

The Public Service Commission of Wisconsin (PSC) is recruiting for the Director of State Broadband and Telecommunications Access in the Division of Digital Access, Consumer and Environmental Affairs. This position is responsible for ensuring the continued sound, effective and accountable day-to-day management of PSC grant programs including the Broadband Expansion Grant program, Universal Service Nonprofit Access Grants, and Universal Service Fund Telemedicine grants. This position is further responsible for continuous improvement, consistency, and internal process and integrity across the grant programs, and will impact digital access for rural and underserved communities, as well as low-income and disabled residents of Wisconsin.

The PSC is an independent state agency that is responsible for regulating more than 1,100 Wisconsin public utilities, which provide electric, natural gas, combined water and sewer utilities and certain aspects of local telephone service to households and businesses throughout the state. The PSC’s mission is to ensure that safe, sufficient, and reasonably priced utility services are provided to all Wisconsin customers.

This position is located on the west side of Madison, Wisconsin in the brand new Hill Farms State Office Building. We provide amazing benefits, which include an excellent retirement plan, extensive health insurance options, and ample paid time off, as well as the opportunity for challenges and advancements that will enhance your professional career. To learn more about the PSC, please visit our website.

Current Career Executives are not eligible to apply by taking the assessment. If you are a current Career Executive and interested in applying, please see the How to Apply section for details on the application process.

AT&T Invests More Than $325 Million Over 3-Year Period to Boost Local Networks in Minnesota

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The latest news from AT&T…

At AT&T1, we’ve invested more than $325 million in our Minnesota wireless and wired networks during 2016-2018, including nearly $250 million in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area. And from 2010 to 2018, AT&T invested more than $1.1 billion in our Minnesota networks. These investments boost reliability, coverage, speed and overall performance for residents and businesses, and has given AT&T the most wireless coverage in Minnesota. We’ve also improved critical services that support Public
Safety and first responders using the FirstNet communications platform.
AT&T’s wireless network covers more than 99% of all Americans and has become the fastest wireless network in the nation, according to the first quarter 2019 results from tests taken with Speedtest® and analyzed by Ookla®.2
In 2018, AT&T made 1,339 wireless network upgrades in Minnesota. We added new cell sites, additional network capacity, enhanced back haul and small cells. By building out our 4G LTE network, we’re boosting network speeds and capacity, as we continue to expand the availability of our network and upgrade our technology.
In 2019 we will deploy our mobile 5G+ mmWave network in parts of Minneapolis. Some of our early customers using 5G delivered over millimeter wave spectrum, which we call 5G+, have experienced speeds in the range of 200-300 megabits per second – and even as high as 400 megabits per second.3

“We are proud of the significant investments we have made in our networks across Minnesota, including the upgrades we have made to prepare Minneapolis for the future of
next generation connectivity,” said Paul Weirtz, state president, AT&T Minnesota. “The investments we’re making not only keep our businesses and residents connected, but they help prepare us for the future of 5G and innovations like smarter cities, telemedicine and virtual reality.”
“For Minnesota to continue to thrive and attract new jobs and innovation, sustained investment by the private sector is crucial,” said Steve Cramer, president and CEO of the
Minneapolis Downtown Council and Downtown Improvement District. “By continuing to build state-of-the-art infrastructure in our state, AT&T is making business growth possible and making sure our residents have the tools to stay connected and entertained.”
Additionally, for the 5th consecutive year we’ve landed on Fortune magazine’s list of the “World’s Most Admired” companies. It’s also the 6th year in a row we’ve appeared on the Global Top 50 list – no other telecom company made the Top 50.

Transforming Public Safety Communications FirstNet is Public Safety’s dedicated, nationwide communications platform. It is for all first responders – career and volunteer, urban or rural. It’s bringing public safety
communications into the 21st century with new, innovative capabilities, helping first responders connect to the critical information they need – every day and in every
emergency.
Building upon our current and planned investments in Minnesota, we continue to extend the reach and increase the capacity of the FirstNet communications platform:
– Deployed Band 14 spectrum in more than 600 markets nationwide, including Duluth, Moorhead, Rochester and St. Cloud. Band 14 is high-quality spectrum provided by
the First Responder Network Authority. Its signal covers larger geographic areas with less infrastructure to better support rural communities, and it can better reach inbuilding in more urban areas as compared to higher-MHz spectrum.
– Minnesota first responders enjoy the fastest overall experience on FirstNet, compared to any commercial network in the nation, thanks to the specialized
capabilities enabled by the physically separate and dedicated FirstNet network core, like always-on priority and preemption. 4
– Public safety agencies subscribed to FirstNet have 24/7 access to a nationwide fleet of 75 deployable network assets. These assets can either be deployed for planned
events or called upon in emergencies to help first responders stay connected and operate faster, safer and more effectively when lives are on the line.
FirstNet is built with AT&T in a public-private partnership with the First Responder Network
Authority – an independent agency within the federal government. This helps ensure that the FirstNet communications platform and service offerings meet the short- and long-term needs of the public safety community.
To learn more about our wireless coverage in Minnesota, or anywhere in the U.S., visit the AT&T Coverage Viewer. For updates on the AT&T wireless network, please visit the AT&T network news page.

“I need better internet period!” says local business in St Louis County MN

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Businesses from St Louis County are speaking after the broadband meeting in St Louis County yesterday. A theme emerge as they all say – we need better broadband. After the meeting I heard from Jon Benz at JM Retrievers. They board, train and breed retrievers. Here’s what Jon had to say about local broadband…

I need better internet period! Cost effective and would help my business a lot. From credit card processing to website design, which I do myself, videos and photo uploads to help me sell products and services. I have to wait sometimes hours to download files that people send me. And hours to upload sale videos etc.

Broadband is a must for us to survive for many aspects of our business. I get more online contacts for bookings numerous days than by phone. I barely have Internet through access broadband line of sight service.

I like the provider as a company but they don’t have the speeds that I need to make my business more efficient in many ways. The first few years I didn’t have them it was a struggle. It can only get better.

Local business needs better broadband to grow in St Louis County MN

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I met a few folks at the St Louis County broadband meeting yesterday – many like Elizabeth Chapman from Art Unlimited need better broadband to grow…

St Louis County broadband meeting: make partners, help providers work with you – think feasibility studies

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Today in St Louis a few dozen people met to talk and learn about broadband. A few themes emerged – people want broadband. In areas that aren’t yet served it’s going to take an effort – on the part of the local community. Partnership helps. Part of the game is courting a provider and often that means making yourself more attractive by knowing what infrastructure is already in your community and knowing the interest with local residents. Inherent in that idea is the opportunity to encourage local residents.

You can watch the archive or read notes below.

Welcome from Jason Metsa – Continue reading →

FCC’s Consumer Outreach team visits Minnesota

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If only I could be in two places at once, but today I’m up in the broadband meeting in St Louis County but the FCC is traveling to other places in Minnesota and Wisconsin. The Benton Foundation reports…

Members of the FCC’s Consumer Outreach team will take to the road again for the next in a series of Rural Tours, this time journeying to the Upper Midwest states of Minnesota and Wisconsin.

During their travels to various cities and towns, the team will meet with community leaders and groups to share information and resources regarding telecommunication issues that affect daily lives. The team will also discuss the latest telecom scams targeting consumers’ privacy and pocketbooks, particularly in rural areas.

The Upper Midwest Region Rural Tour is the fourth in a series of trips designed to build partnerships with local consumer groups and hear directly from local consumers and community members.

Topics include:

Tour Schedule as of June 14, 2019:

All events listed below are free and open to the public unless noted otherwise.

Day 1:  Monday, 6/24

  • 9:30 am
    Presentation at the Chaska Community Center – Download Event Flyer
    1661 Park Ridge Drive, Chaska, MN 55318
  • 1:00 pm
    Presentation at Nicollett County Health and Human Services – Download Event Flyer
    622 South Front St., St. Peter, MN 56082
  • Meetings with local leaders in Blue Earth County, MN; Chaska, MN and Le Sueur, MN – closed to the general public

Day 2:  Tuesday, 6/25

  • 1:00 pm
    Presentation at the Semcac Senior Dining – Download Event Flyer
    Dodge County:  Sunwood Manor, 200 1st St. NE, Kasson, MN  55944
  • Meetings with local leaders in Owatonna, MN and Waseca, MN – closed to the general public

Day 3:  Wednesday, 6/26

  • 6:00 pm
    Presentation at La Crosse Public Library – Download Event Flyer
    800 Main Street, La Crosse, WI 54601
  • Meetings with local leaders in St. Charles, MN – closed to the general public

Day 4:  Thursday, 6/27

  • 12:00 pm
    Presentation at the Kupper Ratsch Senior Center – Download Event Flyer
    10025 Superior Ave., Tomah, WI 54660
  • Meetings with local leaders in in Mauston, WI; New Lisbon, WI; Sparta, WI and Tomah, WI – closed to the general public

Day 5:  Friday, 6/28

  • 12:00 pm
    Presentation at DeForest Senior Center – Download Event Flyer
    505 N Main St., DeForest, WI 53532
  • 3:00 pm
    Presentation at Portage Public Library – Download Event Flyer
    253 W. Edgewater St., Portage, WI 53901
  • Meetings with local leaders Portage, WI and Wisconsin Dells, WI  – closed to the general public

 

Greenwood Township moving forward with fiber to townhall

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Greenwood Township board members met last week to discuss a few issues related to technology. The Timberjay covered the meeting. There were a lot of unkowns, for example it seemed unclear whether the board knew if there was fiber connected to the town hall or not.

I’m trying to weed through the discussion to get to the actions and decisions:

The board decided to join an effort for a regional feasibility study…

[Joan] Bassing [chair of the local broadband committee] then asked the town board to consider making a donation to help fund the feasibility study. She said that if the township refused to participate in the feasibility study, it would eliminate the township from future broadband projects.

A coalition of three areas are jointly funding the study and need to raise approximately $75,000, which will be matched one-to-one by Blandin.

“Our standard donation is $100,” said [board member] DeLuca.

Bassing said she was not sure what level of donation would be considered for inclusion in the study but said there was a possibility of finding other donations in the township to count towards the township’s participation.

A feasibility study looks at existing infrastructure, community support/interest in broadband and recommendations to help infrastructure meet community need. (Often it has been the first step in a community pursuing and getting a MN state broadband grant.)

A donation of $100 may not be a ringing endorsement but it is a start to a local investment that will help them know if the city hall has fiber, if local residents want it and what they can do to make it happen. It will address many of the unknowns and I thin help the city board make more informed decisions.

The board decided to connect town hall computers to fiber and install hotspots…

The board did appear to agree on getting the town hall computers connected to the fiber.

A motion to have a new wifi hotspot installed at an estimated cost of $486, to give broadband access to users in the parking lot, passed unanimously. The town board tabled a motion to get the hard-wiring done, since they felt they needed more information on the cost, but said they would consider it at their July meeting.

Not to harp on a feasibility study – but that would help them decide about hard-wiring in the future.

The board decided not to move forward with a computer for the public in the town hall. It seems that they felt the recommended computer was too expensive for the public….

Initially, township officials balked at the cost of the computer included in the proposal, saying they would rather see a more economical model for public use rather than a model that cost about $3,200.

I used to do tech assessments for nonprofits. I’ve had this discussion with people in the past. How come we need to buy a computer more expensive than my home computer? It’s a little like asking why a commercial oven is more expensive. Because the public computer will be used more, will be used harder and will called upon to meet a wider variety of needs. The secondary issue was a question of need…

But DeLuca insisted there was no need for a public computer at the town hall.

“Everybody I talk to,” he said, “nobody says we need a computer here.”

A feasibility study may prove his point or suggest a different answer.

The feasibility study will help decision makers learn what the community wants and needs! Folks who are interested in this part of Minnesota, are invited to attend  a St Louis County broadband meeting happening June 25 (Tuesday) to hear more about local efforts to get and use better broadband for economic development and quality of life.

St Louis County broadband efforts and opportunities to be highlighted at public event

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I mentioned the meeting in a previous post. Here are more details. I am planning to livestream via Facebook…

Saint Louis County broadband efforts and opportunities to be highlighted at public event

GRAND RAPIDS, Minn. (June 20, 2019) — Iron Range Broadband Communities invite Saint Louis County community members to attend a presentation on their project progress on June 25 from 1:00 to 3:30 p.m. at the Mountain Iron Community Center.

Over the past two years, 10 community initiatives from across the Iron Range have been working to improve both access and use of broadband technologies.  These efforts are being supported with resources from the Department of Iron Range Resources & Rehabilitation, Blandin Foundation and Saint Louis County.

As broadband services grow increasingly important for community and economic development, community efforts to improve broadband access in Saint Louis County are gaining momentum.  Compared to much of northeastern Minnesota, Saint Louis County has large areas where local access and needs are considered unserved or under-served.

Feasibility studies analyzing broadband construction costs and revenue streams have been conducted in an area stretching from Hibbing to Mountain Iron and another in the Ely area.  Additional studies are planned that would include the Tower area, East Range and Laurentian Communities.

The event will highlight emerging broadband projects and related accessibility maps, feasibility study results, and insights on how to work with local broadband providers.  An opportunity for informal discussion over coffee and cookies will conclude the meeting. Co-sponsored by the Department of Iron Range Resources & Rehabilitation, Blandin Foundation and the Iron Range Broadband Communities, the event is open to the public.  There is no charge, pre-registration is not required.

Fiber to the farm means food to the people in St Louis County

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It’s great to hear about a family that is really thriving in a rural area thanks to fiber. And I love it even more when it helps make the case that fiber to the farm makes a difference to quality life. And in this story, that quality of life is rippling to the neighbors and beyond.

“We love our farm and our customers. We have a wonderful life!” Wycoff Family.

Shannon and Mary Ann Wycoff and their three grown children have a family farm called  Bear Creek Acres. It something they started to provide for themselves but people kept asking if they’d be willing to sell what they were raising. They sell beef, pork (in bulk – picture buying half a hog and in individual packages) and eggs. They sell to both individuals and through Natural Harvest Food Co-Op, Trapline C-Store, -Moose Bear Wolf and local Farmer’s Markets. They are members of Minnesota Grown since 2008.

If you have never purchased directly from the farmer, they will walk you through the process. It’s ironic to see how technology is allowing people to go old school – to buy directly from the farmer who uses no antibiotics, no hormone and no animal byproduct.

Fiber to the farm helps them promote their products but it also helps them work from home. Shannon works at Northshore Mining but Mary Ann works at BCBS MN from home via a fiber-to-the-premise connection.

Interactive broadband map of MN based on speed tests

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Last week I was all about the new MN county maps – created from data provided by the providers. This weekend, someone (from NEO Partners LLC) sent me their interactive map created from M-LAB speed tests.

The map shows served (faster than 25 Mbps download) and unserved (slower than 25 Mbps download) areas and tracks the following:

  • Number of tests: 4,373
  • average down: 46.64
  • median down: 26.08
  • pop: 16,361
  • house: 8,200

It also tracks the local providers, average speed, median and number of tests done in their area.

The maps obviously requires locals to run tests. So some areas have better reporting than others. I invite folks who have had issues with the county tests to check out these maps and see if they seem more reliable.

37% of Americans now go online mostly using a smartphone

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Pew Research reports…

Today, 37% of U.S. adults say they mostly use a smartphone when accessing the internet. This share has nearly doubled since 2013, when the Center last asked this question. At that point, 19% of Americans named their smartphone as their primary device for going online.

Indeed, mobile devices are not simply being used more often to go online – some Americans are forgoing traditional broadband at home altogether in favor of their smartphone. A majority of adults say they subscribe to home broadband, but about one-in-four (27%) do not. And growing shares of these non-adopters cite their mobile phone as a reason for not subscribing to these services.

I could see people do more individual tasks online but (aside from watching videos or listening to audio) I can’t see people choose a smartphone for tasks that take longer – like research or writing. That being said, few people probably spend as much time writing or doing research as I do. I wasn’t surprised to see that people with higher education and salaries seem to choose smartphones and home broadband at about the same rate. So people who can choose, choose both. (Or maybe having home access helps them make more money.)

Senator Anderson reports on $40 million for MN broadband grants

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Minnesota Senate Republican Caucus reports an update from Senator Anderson…

Rural communities need fast and efficient access to online education, resources, and other important services. We invested $40 million to expand rural broadband this year to continue the effort to provide rural areas the same opportunities as those in more metro areas. You can visit the Minnesota Rural Broadband Coalition’s website for more details on the expansion: http://mnbroadbandcoalition.com/

We already have more ideas for next session and we always have our farmers in mind while we are working at the Capitol. We rely on them and we are thankful for all the work they do for our state. Please reach out with any additional questions or concerns.

Next week, we will look at the highlights in the Commerce, Jobs, and Energy budget. I hope you enjoy your weekend!