MN Broadband Maps and Rankings are Out!
The Office of Broadband Development recently posted broadband coverage maps for Minnesota Counties. See how your county ranks for broadband access at speeds of 25 Mbps up and 3 down, 100 Mbps up and 20 down or Gig access.

MN County Prosperity Ranking
Go Daddy releases Venture Forward, a report on the impact of local ventures on a community and impact of community on local ventures. Diving into the report, we created a list of the Top 10 in Venture Density, in Highly Active Ventures, in greatest change and other factors.

MN Broadband Task Force May Meeting
The MN Broadband Task Force heard from GEO Partners on their mapping services and MidCo introduced their services, especially on their fixed wireless services. They also got updates from subgroups and talked about how they might let policymakers know that broadband is even more important during this time of COVID-19.

State Policy Issues (in reverse chronological order)

• Rep Ecklund says Broadband investments necessary during, after COVID-19
• Sen Jeremy Miller says broadband is a priority
• MN Rural Broadband Coalition: Legislature Adjourns, No Deal on Additional Broadband Funding – May 18, 2020
• Candidate Doria Drost running for District 16A supports broadband
• MN COVID-19 bill (includes broadband) still in negotiation but Senate to discuss Broadband bill SF4494 today (Sunday)
• Governor signs a few bills that relate to technology
• Broadband still on table at MN Leg but some differences in Senate and House
• MN DFL endorses Mindy Kimmel for MN House 16B, she endorses better broadband
• Sen Sparks talks up broadband support in MN Senate
• $27 million in broadband funding passes in the MN House
• MN Rural Broadband Coalition Legislative Update: House Passes Broadband Funding
• Broadband makes democracy possible for MN Legislators

Federal Policy Issues (in reverse chronological order)

• Video of FCC presentation for MN & WI Tribes on federal funding
• MN one of 39 state attorneys general urging Congress to fund broadband
• Policy Recommendations for bringing communities into the digital age from Roberto Gallardo
• Policy changes make telehealth possible especially for non-COVID19 issues
• Broadband maps are unreliable – even in Minnesota
• Senator Tina Smith promotes telehealth during coronavirus pandemic
• Sen Klobuchar Highlights Urgent Need for Internet Connectivity during Pandemic at Senate Commerce Committee Hearing
• Congressman Peterson leads bi-partisan delegation in introducing universal broadband act

Impact of COVID-19

• After the Fact: what are the 21 million who aren’t online doing during the pandemic
• Minnesota leaders from Austin to Mankato discuss COVID and need for better broadband
• Pandemic exacerbates and shines a light on inequity in Minnesota
• MN Nonprofits boost mental health services – great news for those with broadband
• Summer school a good fit for schools in communities with limited broadband?
• Federal COVID-19 DISASTER in Indian Country Act
• Optum telehealth claims up from 2 percent to 33 percent
• Broadband is nonprofit silver lining at a dark time
• One-on-one connections to better distance education
• Lack of broadband adds to rural vulnerability to COVID-19
• Quarantine lessons: Business applications require symmetrical Broadband even at home
• Corporate-sponsored wifi parking lots – awesome for short term but dangerous for long term

Vendor News

• AT&T Foundation Donate Nearly $100,000 to Help Residents in Twin Cities Experiencing Homelessness or Hunger
• Trust the Providers who still need to upgrade? Or find alternatives?
• Lower income households means slower broadband –but providers can help bridge the gap

Local Broadband News

Aitkin County
Strut Your Stuff: Broadband projects in Aitkin

Alexandria
Alexandria Area Community Foundation Funds telehealth and other COVID-19 needs

Bois Forte, Cook & Orr
Strut Your Stuff: Broadband projects with the GRIZZLIES

Cannon Falls
Strut Your Stuff: Broadband projects in Cannon Falls

Carlton County
Carlton County uneven broadband – large swath unserved

Dakota County
Charter Communications extends network in Rosemount

Duluth
Duluth New Tribune Letter to the Editor lifts up fiber as the broadband solution

East Iron Range
Strut Your Stuff: Broadband projects in MN East Range

Ely
Strut Your Stuff: Broadband projects in Ely

Grand Rapids
Introduction to telehealth to end users from Grand Rapids Herald Review

Hibbing
Strut Your Stuff: Broadband projects in Hibbing MN

Iron Range
Working from home saves money and time – but requires broadband on the Iron Range

Itasca & Koochiching Counties
RAMS, Koochiching and Itasca Counties ask residents to take the broadband speed test and spread the word!

Koochiching
Strut Your Stuff: Broadband projects in Koochiching County

Laurentian communities (Eveleth, Gilbert, Mountain Iron, and Virginia)
Strut Your Stuff: Broadband projects in Laurentian communities

Le Sueur County
Blandin Broadband Communities vision meeting with Le Sueur County planned June 11
DFL Candidates in Le Sueur County talk about issues, including broadband

Mankato
Local musicians raising funds for local efforts through community websites in Mankato

Northeast MN
Northeast Service Cooperative and CTC map public WiFi spots in NE MN

Prairie Island
Dakota Language gets new life with Zoom

Rock County
Strut Your Stuff: Broadband projects in Rock County

St Paul
Broadband changes everything – it changes a revolution

Swift County
Strut Your Stuff: Broadband projects in Swift County

Tower
Strut Your Stuff: Broadband projects in Tower MN

Upcoming Events and Opportunities

• June 2: Blandin Broadband Roundtables
• June 2: MN Broadband Coalition
• June 4: Webinar Managed Services, Supply & Logistics: Make Ready to Fiber Deployment
• June 9: Blandin Broadband Roundtables
• June 11: Webinar Plant Design Considerations: Site Survey/Analysis, Pole Rights/Attachments and Underground
• June 16: Blandin Broadband Roundtables
• June 18: Webinar Network Overview: Electronics & Cabling Infrastructure
• June 23: Blandin Broadband Roundtables
• June 25: Webinar Capital, Operational & Total Cost of Ownership Considerations
• June 30: Blandin Broadband Roundtables https://wp.me/p3if7-661
• July 9: Webinar Deployment Construction
• July 16: Connecting Customers and Service & Maintenance of the Fiber Plant
• OPPORTUNITY: MN Broadband Task Force looking for one more member
• OPPORTUNITY: Current and Former Frontier Customers May be Eligible for Rebates or Bill Credits – July 20 Deadline!
• OPPORTUNITY: FCC & IMLS Partner to address digital divide with CARES
• OPPORTUNITY: $1.5 Billion in New Grant Funding Available from Economic Development Administration for Broadband & Other Projects
• OPPORTUNITY: Pro Bono Consulting for K-12 Districts from NDIA list
• OPPORTUNITY: Foundation for Rural Service Community Grant Program
• OPPORTUNITY: Dakota County RFQ to complete fiber network project
• OPPORTUNITY: Applications are open for the 2020 NTEN Digital Inclusion Fellowship

Notes on previous Blandin Broadband Roundtables

• May 26: Blandin Broadband Leadership Roundtable Discussion Summary
• May 19: Blandin Broadband Leadership Roundtable Summary: selecting private sector broadband partners
• May 12: Blandin Broadband Leadership Roundtable Summary: Speed Testing
• May 5: Blandin Broadband Roundtable Roundup: Notes on Rural Development Opportunity Fund from May 5, 2020

Stirring the Pot – by Bill Coleman

Today, I find myself relatively speechless.  In this time of high social anxiety, the Internet is showcasing its power to both support and stress our communities and country.  Rather than personally blathering on, I thought that I would provide a few great sources of information for your thoughtful consideration.

Privacy
Electronic Frontier Foundation (www.eff.org)
Electronic Privacy Information Center (www.Epic.org)

Digital Inclusion
National Digital Inclusion Alliance (www.digitalinclusion.org)

Internet
Berkman Klein Center – Harvard (cyber.harvard.edu)
Benton Institute for Broadband and Society (www.Benton.org)