Monthly Archives: May 2020

Broadband makes democracy possible for MN Legislators

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Duluth News Tribune posts a column from Representative Jennifer Shcultz on the role that broadband is playing in allowing legislators to do their job and keeping citizens as active participants in the process…

Contrary to what was claimed or suggested in the News Tribune’s April 29 editorial (Our View: “Open government still must be the expectation”), since the COVID-19 pandemic emerged, lawmakers have been committed to being available, accessible, and responsive to community members and the rapidly evolving challenges we’re all facing. When the public health emergency was first declared, Gov. Tim Walz and legislative leaders quickly moved forward to enact a plan and make investments in our public health response.

Unconventional times have required an unconventional approach to legislating. Since our first actions addressing COVID-19, the House and Senate have largely moved operations online. We’ve held committee meetings via the online video-conference platform Zoom, and all of them have been streamed over the web or televised. We’ve incorporated public testimony into these hearings to get maximum public input.

We’ve held town hall meetings electronically to answer questions and receive feedback. Our email inboxes receive steady traffic, with folks offering feedback or requesting assistance in navigating difficulties, and we’ve worked to help solve problems.

My colleagues and I who represent Duluth’s interests in St. Paul maintain a presence on social media to update constituents on developments and to afford Minnesotans an opportunity to weigh in. None of these is a substitute for in-person conversations, but we value the high level of engagement from community members.

And she recognizes the importance of broadband in the process…

Following the recent situation just next door in Wisconsin, we’re working to enact a mail-in voting option to help Minnesotans participate in democracy safely. Distance learning has been difficult for many families, and we’re working to ensure all Minnesotans have broadband internet to access learning materials, receive telemedicine services, or participate in commerce. Hourly school employees like bus drivers, educational assistants, and food service workers deserve economic security, and we’re working to guarantee their compensation during distance learning.

All of these vital measures have been crafted with the input of people affected by this crisis. They’ve been vetted out in the open during public hearings that, while held remotely, have had debate and public votes — just as if they were held at the state Capitol.

OPPORTUNITY: Dakota County RFQ to complete fiber network project

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From Dakota County, looks like a good project for someone and good news for some residents…

Fiber Optic Network – Pilot Knob & I-494 Gap

​Dakota County is seeking bids from qualified contractors to complete a fiber optic network project in the Pilot Knob Road and Interstate 494 area.

Bids due: June 5 at 2 p.m.

Send bids to:
Dakota County Information Technology Department
Attention: Dan Ferber
1590 Highway 55
Hastings, MN 55033

Quarantine lessons: Business applications require symmetrical Broadband even at home

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Fierce Telecom reports…

With millions of employees now working from home due to COVID-19, asymmetric broadband offerings are a chokepoint for some business applications.

Shrihari Pandit, the CEO of Stealth Communications, said in a recent interview with FierceTelecom that in addition to slower upstream speeds on DSL or cable broadband services, work from home (WFH) efforts have also been hampered by multiple users in a household using a single broadband connection for gaming, video streaming, video conferencing and remote learning.

“We’re seeing businesses making more employees work from home. So that’s been a major trend in our customer base,” said Pandit, whose company provides fiber-based connectivity in the New York Cit metro area. “What we’ve seen is some difficulty in terms of making that successful. When they work from home, they try to run all their work applications.

“What the corporate IT departments are finding as they start troubleshooting is that home connections are mostly asymmetric and that’s creating a strain, because a lot of these business applications require symmetrical connectivity.”

In my house that means that my Zoom interview upload to YouTube for work is sputtering along as my kid binges The Office on her laptop while checking her homework on her phone. There are only two of us, so it’s manageable. That’s not the case for many families. And I suspect the need for symmetrical broadband or at least a huge increase in upload speeds will not change soon.

I know that the Minnesota Broadband Task Force has talked about looking at current MN broadband speed goals (which as 25 Mbps down and 3 up by 2022 and 100 Mbps down and 20 up by 2026). The first order of business may be to look at symmetry.

Introduction to telehealth to end users from Grand Rapids Herald Review

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I suspect this won’t be news to many readers, but you might have friends or family that might benefit from the Grand Rapids Herald Review and their introduction to telehealth…

So how do I make telemedicine work? Don’t worry, it’s simpler than it sounds. Start by calling your clinic or mental health agency. Tell them what you need. They will tell you how appointments are arranged during our Minnesota Safe at Home period. If they’re using telemedicine, they will tell you what kind of technology you need – smart phone, computer, internet service. They will send you an email, and/or on the phone, walk you through the connecting process. They may use Zoom or Doxy.me or another video program. Before you know it, you’ll be talking to your care provider on the screen of your phone, tablet, or computer. It’s confidential, because the programs have lockout mechanisms, just like closing an office door.

If you don’t have the right technology? There are solutions. Your mental health care manager will help you get the right equipment and connections through a local grant. Your medical clinic will have other options for you. An old-fashioned phone call or clinic visit may be just what the doctor orders! Or, you can ask a family member, friend, or neighbor for help with a phone or computer. Just remember that if you live separately, you need to keep 6 feet physical distance between you, wear masks, and sanitize equipment. Don’t forget, you can always contact First Call/211, and they will help you problem-solve. The Mental Health Crisis Response Team has some equipment for loan to their clients.

Telemedicine may be one of the changes that survives the pandemic. In the future it could continue to ease connections with our medical and mental health care providers, especially in rural areas like ours. For now, remember there are ways to get medical and mental health care. You and me, we’re not alone. This telemedicine thing is a little new, but I hope a bit more familiar now, and not so stressful after all.

Corporate-sponsored wifi parking lots – awesome for short term but dangerous for long term

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This is awesome news for students and great to see strong corporate citizens – as the Pioneer Press reports…

As the coronavirus pandemic continues to spread across the country, Land O’Lakes is doing its part to help people feel connected.
Literally.
Based in Arden Hills, the member-owned agricultural cooperative has started offering free Wi-Fi to various rural communities across the country that might not otherwise have access.
It’s an initiative Land O’Lakes has been talking about for awhile, according to Chief Technology Officer Teddy Bekele. And with everyone shifting to life online during the COVID-19 crisis, the digital divide in rural communities has been further exacerbated.
“We decided we needed to do something immediately and one of the easiest steps we could take was to turn the guest Wi-Fi on at our locations so people could come to the parking lot and use it there,” Bekele said. “We have also encouraged a lot of our ag retailers to do the same.”
As of Tuesday afternoon, Land O’Lakes and the rest of its network is now offering free Wi-Fi at about 120 locations spanning 14 states. That number will likely increase in the coming weeks.

BUT is it long-term good news for the community? I’m afraid that it’s a Band-Aid that that will allow community leaders and policy makers to look away from long term broadband solutions and the communities that need it. It’s the oil that will fix the squeaky wheel but not the cart!

It is important and impressive to get people online as quickly as possible to work and learn and even do to the doctor as regular visit shift to online only. (Thank you Land O’Lakes !) BUT the legislature is making decisions on greater funding for broadband now – so now is the time to squeak. And if we don’t get funding to serve some of these remote area now, they will be squeaking later because parking lot wifi is pretty good in May, unbearable in December.

Blandin Broadband Roundtable Roundup: Notes on Rural Development Opportunity Fund from May 5, 2020

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From roundtable host, Bill Coleman…

The FCC’s Rural Development Opportunity Fund and the impact of the Frontier bankruptcy were the topics of the day yesterday on the first of a series of broadband roundtable discussions happening every Tuesday morning at 9 am CDT.  Everyone is welcome and you can find the Zoom registration link at broadband.blandinfoundation.org under the webinar heading.

The consensus of participants was that the RDOF reverse auctions will be critical to currently unserved areas broadband future.  The program rewards the deployment of high-speed, low-latency broadband networks which is great.

While the auction will be held this fall, prospective bidders must complete their short-form application soon.  This is a real opportunity for local units of government to plan with their preferred provider partners.  It is important to be listed on the provider’s short-form application due to bidding rules. A community’s best role might be to create a partnership to help providers deploy to the surrounding ineligible areas.

The eligible areas are a patchwork of geography.  The preliminary eligibility map can be found here: https://www.fcc.gov/reports-research/maps/auction-904-preliminary-eligible-areas.  The FCC initially declared areas eligible based on their maps using provider supplied data.  Incumbent providers were then able to challenge that eligibility, essentially challenging the data that they had already supplied to the FCC.   You can see a map of those challenged areas here:  https://www.cooperative-networks.com/rdof-challenge-map/ .  The community route to challenge these maps is unclear, possibly requiring outreach to federal elected officials.

You can find some excellent introductory materials about the RDOF process here: https://www.adtran.com/index.php/rdof

Our second discussion topic was about the Frontier bankruptcy.  This process is generally outside of state regulatory processes. It is possible that Frontier will emerge stronger out of bankruptcy with the removal of debt.  Frontier recently sold their exchanges in three states, so we discussed possible buyers here in Minnesota.  We also discussed the relative approaches of an entity purchasing existing Frontier assets and customer base as opposed to simply overbuilding in those areas.  It is possible that Frontier may acquire long-term subsidies via the RDOF process.

The roundtables are a great opportunity to bring both your knowledge and your questions to share with the Blandin team and other community broadband advocates.  We will start our next roundtable with a discussion of speed tests.

CNS shares RDOF Challenged Census blocks

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CNS has a pretty complete map of RDOF Challenged Census blocks. What does that mean? RDOF (Rural Digital Opportunity Fund) is the FCC’s largest distribution of USF (Universal Service Funds). There are two phases:

  • Phase 1: Will provide up to $16.4 billion
  • Phase 2: Will provide at least $4.4 billion

The FCC will award RDOF funds through a descending clock, reverse auction process. Eligible areas include those without current (or already funded) access to adequate broadband service, defined by the FCC as 25 Mbps downstream and 3 Mbps upstream (25/3). CNS’s map shows those areas whose eligibility is being challenged…

Their map shows locations of the approximately 280,000 census blocks identified by ISPS or other entities, filed with the FCC to challenge potentially available census blocks  included in the upcoming RDOF auction. Not all challenge letters provided sufficient and/or accurate data for accurate mapping, and thus, this map, while containing a significant amount of data, is not fully complete. Please see the “information” tab for disclaimer and additional limitations.

For a more detailed map, or questions, please contact Paul Solsrud paul.solsrud@cooperative-networks.com

[Added May 6 noon]

Paul just shared a list of the largest challengers by the number of blocks they challenged and a list of all challengers. So interesting!

Congressman Peterson leads bi-partisan delegation in introducing universal broadband act

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Yesterday, Congressman Peterson introduced The Universal Broadband Act…

Representatives Collin Peterson (D-MN) and Don Young (R-AK), with the bipartisan support of T.J. Cox (D-CA), Hal Rogers (R-KY), Angie Craig (D-MN), Frank Lucas (R-OK), Luis Correa (D-CA), Jeff Van Drew (R-NJ), Ed Case (D-HI), and Vicente Gonzalez (D-TX) have introduced The Universal Broadband Act today to ensure rural Americans have the opportunity to access reliable broadband services. The Universal Broadband Act will achieve this goal by expanding the Universal Service Fund (USF) contribution base to include broadband services, rather than the current outdated model that draws support solely from telephone services. The costs of building out service to areas without adequate broadband continues to rise, while the current base that contributes to the USF is declining. This has resulted in an increasingly growing contribution factor, overburdening those who are required to contribute.

“Reliable broadband is a utility, every bit as necessary as electricity,” said Rep. Peterson. “From distance learning to telehealth and the transitions of working from home during a public health crisis, broadband is more important than ever. It’s unacceptable that rural communities have limited, unreliable or worse yet no broadband access. In response to these inequities I have introduced the Universal Broadband Act that secures adequate funding to support the construction of broadband infrastructure in rural and underserved areas without having to increase the national debt.”

“The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the importance of broadband access for our communities, schools, and health care providers,” said Rep. Young. “We must work so that those in our rural areas can have access to the connectivity they need to keep their families safe and give them a semblance of normalcy. I am proud to partner with my good friend Congressman Collin Peterson on this critical effort to help close the digital divide, and will continue working to ensure that Alaska’s families can stay connected.”

“Now more than ever, it is crucial that we establish reliable, affordable broadband access to our rural communities,” said Rep. Cox. “Not only is this important for remote education, but also for our farmers and small business owners who increasingly rely on technology for their work. This bill brings us one step closer – eliminating roadblocks and establishing accountability for more efficient rural broadband development.”

“Broadband connectivity is a critical component to job creation, educational opportunities, telehealth and much more. Without access to broadband, rural America is missing out on competitive opportunities,” said Rep. Hal Rogers. “This legislation will help shore up the fund that allows us to support broadband expansion in communities where it’s needed the most for economic development.”

“In far too many communities across Minnesota’s Second Congressional District, families have no access or only access to highly expensive broadband, which is the infrastructure of the 21st century,” said Rep. Angie Craig. “I’m proud to be working with Chairman Peterson to fix that with the Universal Broadband Act, which not only recognizes that our small businesses, family farmers and students depend on reliable broadband every day, but it will start to deliver the infrastructure to power their daily lives.”

“Access to affordable high-speed internet is essential to prosper in the 21st century economy. Thanks to the leadership of my friend and colleague Rep. Collin Peterson, Congress is expanding the investment to the Universal Service Fund to ensure all Americans have reliable access to broadband,” said Rep. Frank Lucas. The Universal Service Fund can trace its origins back to Depression-era efforts to provide telecommunication services to low-income households and high-cost areas across the nation. As the USF’s mission has evolved over time to include the expansion of broadband internet service to rural America, the contribution structure that supports the Fund has become more and more outdated.  While the cost of the programs supported by the Universal Service Fund continue to rise, the already-overburdened contribution base continues to diminish. Oklahoma’s schools, hospitals, small businesses, and consumers have benefited from USF funds and it’s past time we address the Fund’s sustainability issues. Our work in this area is far from finished, but the Universal Broadband Act will be an important step in bridging the digital divide between rural and urban areas.”

“We must provide the Federal Communications Commission adequate funding to close the digital divide for low-income and rural Americans,” said Rep. Vicente Gonzalez.“Many businesses, schools, and communities in South Texas depend on access to high-speed broadband. In the digital age, lack of a reliable internet connection can mean missed opportunities and setbacks. By reforming the Universal Service Fund, the Universal Broadband Act provides a thoughtful solution and a stable revenue stream to fund long-term investment in marginalized communities and close the digital divide.”

The Universal Broadband Act would provide long-awaited reinvestment into the USF that prioritizes building out broadband without over-burdening the FCC from extensive new regulations. The bill would:

  • Codify that broadband is within the definition of Universal Service;
  • Require the FCC to set the contribution rate as needed to meet Universal Service goals and serve all Americans;
  • Require consultation between USDA’s Rural Utility Service (RUS), the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), and the FCC;
  • Create reporting requirements to ensure the FCC is meeting their build out goals; and
  • Prioritize unserved areas, and further ensure tribal areas are served.

 

Applications are open for the 2020 NTEN Digital Inclusion Fellowship

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Another great opportunity for the right person – a fellowship with NTEN…

Launched in 2015 in partnership with Google Fiber, the Digital Inclusion Fellowship builds capacity and leadership in nonprofits to address digital inequity in their communities. Fellows join a year-long, project-based, professional development cohort. They create and implement ambitious projects to increase opportunities for adults in their communities to learn essential digital skills and will receive grants to help launch their programs.

Previous fellows have implemented impressive and groundbreaking projects. Emma Hernandez, a fellow in San Antonio, launched a hotspot lending program that allows library patrons to bring their connectivity home. She also developed a volunteer program that supported 200 library patrons in connecting with workforce resources. Felicia Tillman, a fellow from Atlanta, formed partnerships to bring digital literacy training to uniquely sweet spaces. You can read more about past fellows’ projects (and get inspired to start your own!) in our Digital Inclusion Toolkit, program fact sheets, and blog.

Learn more

  1. Read full details about the application process and the required commitment
  2. Read about the experiences of the 2019 fellows in their own words
  3. RSVP for a free video call with me on Tuesday, May 19, at 11 PT, to learn more and ask questions

We are deeply grateful to Google Fiber, the Cleveland Foundation, and Meyer Memorial Trust, our Cohort 6 sponsors, for their commitment to digital equity and supporting the Digital Inclusion Fellowship.

Application deadline May 10 for Congressional Digital Service Fellowship in DC

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This looks like an amazing opportunity to go to DC and help them make better use of technology through the Congressional Digital Service Fellowship – the deadline is May 10…

The COVID-19 pandemic has transformed Congress into a remote and virtual institution literally overnight. Capitol Hill was not prepared for this moment and is now confronting a number of urgent digital challenges.

We are looking to immediately recruit a small collaborative tech team for an eight month fellowship to help Congress manage this critical moment. 

You can read more about our fellowship strategy on our blog.

To date, TechCongress has sent 29 technologists to Congress to serve with offices including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Senate Majority Whip John Thune (R-SD), Senator Rand Paul (R-KY), Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), the Senate Homeland Security Committee and the House Oversight Committee.

The current challenges in Congress include:

  • Lack of effective technical infrastructure for continuity of the institution (e.g. no platform for digital signatures or electronic bill introduction) and lack of adoption and approval of remote tools (e.g Slack, Microsoft Teams, other video conferencing).

  • Security concerns, including inconsistent use of tools and member and staff reliance on personal devices and unsupported messaging platforms.

  • Lack of expertise to test and support potential longer-term modernization tools/processes/solutions, including video-based committee hearings, virtual staff briefings, and remote voting.

In response to the urgent need for digital expertise, TechCongress is launching a Congressional Digital Service Fellowship, modeled on parts of the United States Digital Service.  This is a limited term fellowship– an eight month sprint– in order to:

  • Meet the immediate need for technical talent to help modernize the digital infrastructure of the Congress.

  • Capitalize on the opportunity to galvanize the institution to build a Congressional Digital Service within the institution,  including by helping implement recommendations from the House Select Committee on Modernization.

Fellows will be paid a competitive stipend, consistent with tech team salaries in the executive branch like the Presidential Innovation Fellowship, as well as reimbursements for health care, relocation to Washington, D.C. and any necessary travel.

Blandin on Broadband eNews: MN Monthly Recap: Broadband, Policy, COVID-19 (May 2020)

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Broadband is a hot topic. Normally the Blandin on Broadband blog publishes around 50 articles monthly. Between March and April, there have been 250 articles. Subsequently, we have tried to organize posts to make it easier to take in the increase in information; starting with highlights:

The Minnesota Legislature is looking at increasing funding for broadband in the form of a one-time $10 million increase in broadband grants, $8 for online education and $2 million for telehealth. It has passed in the Senate and is on the House Floor. The Federal government is also working funding for broadband. https://wp.me/p3if7-66c

The Blandin Foundation will be hosting weekly online roundtables for community leaders to learn, listen or share stories about community broadband. https://wp.me/p3if7-661 Want a sneak peek at what the sessions will be like? Check out the archive of the Broadband Leadership Webinar Series. https://wp.me/P3if7-651

State Policy Issues (in reverse chronological order)

Federal Policy Issues (in reverse chronological order)

Impact of COVID-19 on Education

Impact of COVID-19 on Heath Care

Impact of COVID-19 on Private Sector

Vendor News

Local Broadband News

Brainerd
Brainerd Dispatch says broadband is as basic today as plumbing and electricity https://wp.me/p3if7-64s

Duluth
Addiction Services in Duluth, Rochester and Twin Cities go online https://wp.me/p3if7-61F

Duluth News Tribune  says broadband is as basic as indoor plumbing and electricity were a century ago https://wp.me/p3if7-5ZO

AT&T expands 5G to Duluth, St Cloud and Le Sueur County https://wp.me/p3if7-62Y

East Grand Forks
East Grand Forks asks MN Legislature to invest in better broadband for rural areas https://wp.me/p3if7-62R

Hibbing
Broadband and technology allow Hibbing area senior citizens to “age in place” https://wp.me/p3if7-624

Iron Range
MN’s Iron Range school buses are integral part of the distance education network https://wp.me/p3if7-63Z

Paul Bunyan’s broadband is making life easier during coronavirus on the Iron Range https://wp.me/p3if7-62n

Iron Range restaurant “to go” website launches during COVID-19 https://wp.me/p3if7-628

Residents of the Iron Range testify to value of Paul Bunyan FTTH especially during pandemic https://wp.me/p3if7-60G

Minneapolis
High school graduation in Minneapolis moves to Facebook https://wp.me/p3if7-65z

Red Wing
Invest in America after Coronavirus? Tom Friedman suggest broadband and mentions Red Wing https://wp.me/p3if7-61n

Scandia
Scandia looks for another broadband expansion grant https://wp.me/p3if7-60D

Scott County
Broadband Communities highlights Scott County’s history of broadband partners https://wp.me/p3if7-60k

South Central MN
South Central MN looking to expand use of Telepresence during pandemic and beyond https://wp.me/p3if7-615

Spring Valley
Spring Valley MN teacher describes a day without adequate broadband https://wp.me/p3if7-63F

St Cloud
St Cloud VA may be largest provider of telehealth for Veterans in the country https://wp.me/p3if7-62b

St Louis County
Treehouse Broadband Needs $150,000 to bring fixed wireless to Morse https://wp.me/p3if7-61b

Live in St Louis County? Please take a minute for a broadband speed test! https://wp.me/p3if7-60h

St Paul
Center for Victims of Torture uses technology to support patients https://wp.me/p3if7-60s

Upcoming Events and Opportunities

Stirring the Pot – by Bill Coleman

Community broadband leaders need to keep their eyes on the prize – broadband money!  “To the Victors belongs the Spoils.”  In Andrew Jackson’s day, that meant political patronage.  Today, the spoils are fiber optics!

In addition to the $20 million (with an additional $10 million in play) of Border to Border Broadband grant funds, there is a whopping $20 billion on the table via the FCC’s Rural Development Opportunity Fund (RDOF) coming in October.  Large areas of Minnesota are eligible for funding to be allocated via a reverse auction. https://www.fcc.gov/reports-research/maps/auction-904-preliminary-eligible-areas/

The state’s broadband fund is designed to give communities input on provider proposals.  A community can choose to support applications via a single letter of support, by rallying multiple letters of community support and/or by providing direct funding.  A community could choose to write a letter of protest to the state if the service to be delivered was deemed in adequate or if the funded project would be a barrier to future fiber infrastructure investment.

The RDOF program incents fiber providers but allows fixed wireless, DSL and even satellite.  While the RDOF program offers no formal role for community engagement, there are important ways for governments to influence the results.  The community need to find a provider who will bid and, preferably, someone ready to deploy fiber optics.    At a minimum, community broadband activists should be in contact with prospective providers to see if they plan to bid and with what technology in mind.  A community could also work with a provider to get adjacent areas deployed via some combination of state, local or provider funds.  Finally, documenting the demand for broadband will help a provider to appropriately bid for the RDOF funds.

The RDOF eligibility map is a patchwork based on claims of existing services by incumbent providers.  If a provider claims one house in a census block to be served with 25 Mb/3 Mb, the entire area is deemed served making them ineligible for RDOF.  CenturyLink and Frontier are now claiming thousands of census blocks as served taking them out of the program.

Communities should work with GIS mapping experts, either consultants or their own county planning staff, to see the impact of these new service claims and to test the reality of those claims.  While there is no formal way to refute the data, communities can act by working through state and federal staff and elected officials to ensure accuracy.

Clearly these RDOF dollars will have a huge influence on broadband deployment; I believe that what a community has for infrastructure and services for the next generation will be determined by this auction.  Don’t just sit and watch.  Make this program work for your area or suffer the long-term consequences.

MN Rural Broadband Coalition Legislative Update: Senate Approves Broadband Funding – May 4, 2020

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From the MN Broadband Coalition…

Memo To:           MRBC Members
Memo From:      Nathan Zacharias
Re:                       Senate Passes Broadband Funding
Date:                   5/4/2020
Senate Passes Broadband Funding 66-0
Good afternoon, Coalition Members:
This update won’t be nearly as long as the typical legislative update we send out, but it’s important you’re aware of some breaking news.  A detailed legislative update on the state of broadband at the Capitol was sent your inboxes on May 1.
SF 4494 was debated and passed 66-0 by the Minnesota Senate, clearing an important hurdle on Monday, May 4. The bill includes $8 million for a reimbursement program to school districts that purchase technology for students that lack access to adequate broadband at home during this school year. It also has $2 million that would reimburse health care providers that purchase telemedicine equipment or software to treat patients during the pandemic. Finally, it contains $10 million for the Border-to-Border Broadband Grant Program targeted at unserved communities.
The funding for schools and health care providers in SF 4494 would come from the federal coronavirus relief account if available, and from the state general fund if federal funds are not available. However, the $10 million for the Border-to-Border program must come from the federal coronavirus relief account or that appropriation is cancelled and no additional funds will be available for the upcoming round of grants. $20 million will be available—regardless of this session’s outcome—from funding that was part of last year’s biennial budget. The Senate’s unanimous action is a good sign that there is broad, bipartisan willingness to send additional funds to the Border-to-Border program this year.
We are now waiting for the House to take action on HF 1507, a COVID-19 relief package that includes funding for broadband, or HF 3029, a standalone broadband funding package similar to SF 4494. In-depth details of these bills can be found in the May 1 legislative update.

MN Senate Passes Bill to Boost Rural Broadband

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From the Senate…

A bill that would provide $20 million dollars in grants for broadband expansion in rural areas won the unanimous support of the Senate Monday, May 4.

Sponsored by Senator Torrey Westrom, R-Elbow Lake, the bill would provide $8 million dollars to support access to high-speed internet for students involved in distance-learning due to the coronavirus pandemic. In addition, $2 million dollars in grants would be available to support the purchase of equipment to address COVID-19-related telehealth services in rural areas, and $10 million dollars would provide permanent high-speed internet to unserved rural and urban areas of the state.

It’s worth noting that when they spoke about

New Blandin Broadband Roundtables on Tuesdays begin this week

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From the Blandin Foundation is introducing a new roundtable series – Tuesdays at 9am…

The Blandin Community Broadband Program’s five-week Broadband Leadership Webinar Series: Creating Successful Broadband Infrastructure Projects concluded last week. Thanks to all who participated!

Blandin Foundation will continue its online broadband leadership presence with weekly roundtable discussions on a variety of topics. Anyone is welcome to join and participate, to ask questions, to promote broadband partnership opportunities, to share positive experiences and express frustrations. The goal of the roundtable is to increase the ability of local broadband leaders to solve their local broadband puzzle. Host Bill Coleman will have some topics ready to go, but there will always be time for your particular question. The key to these sessions will be active discussions so that requires active participation.

Our kick-off topic will be the importance of the FCC’s upcoming RDOF auctions and what your community needs to do to ensure that the outcome is favorable to your community. Bill will also be prepared to talk about the Frontier bankruptcy and what that might mean for your area. We hope that these discussions will provide opportunity for follow-up action for your community and for shared broadband advocacy across your region and the state. Since we can’t get together over coffee, bring your own and join us! You can register for the roundtables here.

 

CenturyLink Asks FCC for CAF Deadline Extension, Citing COVID-19 Issues

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Telecompetitor reports…

CenturyLink has warned the FCC that the company may not meet deadlines for completing broadband deployments funded through the CAF (Connect America Fund) program. In a meeting with senior commission officials this week, CenturyLink representatives attributed the deployment delays to the COVID-19 pandemic and asked the commission for a deployment deadline extension.

In a letter that CenturyLink sent to the FCC summarizing the meeting, the company noted a range of reasons why the pandemic was causing CAF deployment delays, including:

  • Some localities have mandated a complete work stoppage that extends to broadband deployment.

  • Numerous permitting agencies are shut down or have scaled back operations, substantially reducing their ability to process permit applications.

  • Higher instances of backorders and product unavailability for electronics, fiber and other equipment needed for broadband deployment.

It’s a shame it’s happening just when end users need it the most.