People need better broadband
Inc Magazine recently reported that entrepreneurs need better broadband. https://wp.me/p3if7-5DB While the Chronilce of High Education reports that students need broadband too. https://wp.me/p3if7-5Dv

State Policy Issues

• Michelle Lee is running to represent District 11 with an interest in broadband reason https://wp.me/p3if7-5EF
• Matt Schmit moves from MN to help Illinois get broadband https://wp.me/p3if7-5CN

Federal Policy Issues

• Broadband makes Minnesota Farm Bureau’s hot topic list https://wp.me/p3if7-5F1
• Senator Klobuchar and others unveil new online privacy bill, promising tough penalties for data abuse https://wp.me/p3if7-5EL
• MN’s Teddy Bekele is named chair of FCC Precision Ag Task Force https://wp.me/p3if7-5Eq
• US House Commerce Committee approves a number of Broadband Bills https://wp.me/p3if7-5E4
• Democratic candidates’ take on broadband plan https://wp.me/p3if7-5DY
• FCC release report on telehealth https://wp.me/p3if7-5Dr
• Broadband Parity Act looks defining broadband as 25 Mbps down and 3 Mbps up for all federal purposes https://wp.me/p3if7-5Db

Vendor News

• Mediacom hits 50,000 Gigabit broadband customers https://wp.me/p3if7-5DS

Local Broadband News

Cloquet Valley
Jan Keough receives Blandin Foundation Courageous Broadband Leader Award https://wp.me/p3if7-5Do

Fillmore County
MiBroadband launches fixed wireless service in Fountain, Peterson, Spring Valley https://wp.me/p3if7-5EO

Lakefield
Southwest MN Broadband Services looks at closed meetings in the future https://wp.me/p3if7-5DH

Southwest MN Broadband Services receives Courageous Leadership Award https://wp.me/p3if7-5Dk

Minneapolis
USI fiber unveils expansion areas for 2020 https://wp.me/p3if7-5Cv

Minnesota
New device makes home-based telehealth easier in MD, SD, ND and IA https://wp.me/p3if7-5ES

MN’s CentraCare Health gets $234K to improve telehealth https://wp.me/p3if7-5Et

Tekne Awards recognizes award-winning MN companies https://wp.me/p3if7-5Eg

Pipestone County
CenturyLink upgrades broadband services around Pipestone County https://wp.me/p3if7-5E9

Red Wing
Neela Mollgaard focuses on capital, culture and talent at Launch Minnesota https://wp.me/p3if7-5F4

Renville & Sibley Counties
RS Fiber gets an international shout out for publicly supported broadband https://wp.me/p3if7-5E1

Rochester
Mayo Clinic implements telehealth approach for neonatologists https://wp.me/p3if7-5CH

Swift County, Rock County, and Cannon Falls
Swift County, Rock County, and Cannon Falls talk about their Blandin Broadband Communities (BBC) activities https://wp.me/p3if7-5DV

White Earth Reservation
New FirstNet Cell site will  support public safety in Northwestern Minnesota near White Earth Reservation https://wp.me/p3if7-5Dy

Upcoming Events and Opportunities

• Dec 5: MN Broadband Coalition meeting (St Paul) https://wp.me/p3if7-5EC
• Dec 17: Senator Klobuchar’s outreach team holding listening sessions in Southern MN (details forthcoming)
• Dec 31: Smart Rural Community Grant https://wp.me/p3if7-5CR
• Jan 19: Science Kits for Public Libraries Grant Application https://wp.me/p3if7-5EY
• Blandin Foundation is looking for 4 communities to expand local broadband innovation https://wp.me/p3if7-5EV
• Partner with a MN Library – Girls Who Code 2019-2020 https://wp.me/p3if7-5EI
• Census 2020 available online, by phone, by mail to all areas https://wp.me/p3if7-5Dg

We are looking to add MN broadband-related events to the Blandin on Broadband blog calendar. https://wp.me/P3if7-4yG If you have an event you’d like to add please send it to atreacy@treacyinfo.com

Stirring the Pot – by Bill Coleman

In this season of gratitude, I am grateful to be able to work with the great team at Blandin Foundation and the many community leaders working to improve broadband across greater Minnesota.  The Leadership Awards presented at the fall broadband conference recognized only the tip of the iceberg of rural broadband leaders.  In almost every successful local initiative, there are multiple leaders working together to bring positive change to their community.  Sometimes one person is honored as the leader, but all good leaders know that this is a limited view of reality.

It takes multiple leaders and many followers to build the momentum necessary to overcome fears, objections and interference from both inside and outside the community.  At a recent meeting of current Blandin Broadband Communities, we heard all the good things happening in these communities, with some credit to the momentum created via the BBC program.  Isaac Newton’s theories in action!  These communities are moving in the right direction led by many cooperating leaders.

If you are looking for a fun way to illustrate this concept at your next broadband meeting, check out one of my favorite TED Talks:

If you want to start a movement in your community, get organized, and apply to be a Blandin Broadband Community.  Look for that application soon.  Call us for assistance!