Alexandria Echo Press posts a letter to the editor…
Last year our neighborhood was excited to receive notice that Runestone Telecom would be installing high speed internet cable with access to our homes, thanks to the state Border-Border Grant Program. One year later we’re still waiting for that high speed internet access.
A news report in the April 9 Echo Press gives the statewide goal for internet access speed of 25 megabits per second downloading and 3 mbps uploading by the year 2022. Our home internet speed test is 0.89 mbps downloading and 0.19 mbps uploading, making basic internet access frustrating. I can imagine how impossible it would be to work from home or to do online schooling.
The author bring up the history of the grant funding…
The Echo Press also reported that Gov. Walz is proposing to budget $50 million for the state Border-to-Border Program for 2021. In 2016 Gov. Dayton proposed $100 million for the newly created state program. Republican legislators, who claim to represent rural interests, cut the grant to $28 million.
Blandin on Broadband 
SpaceX’s Starlink has launched thousands of satellites to offer high speed broadband in Alexandria (and all over in the northern hemisphere). News reports from early users indicate greater than 100 megabits per second speeds. They are not the only company deploying fleets of low earth orbit satellites to compete in the broadband market, so soon you’ll have even more choices for broadband (in addition to any 4G / 5G home wireless available from companies like T-Mobile).
It would certainly be nice to have more choices. It will be interesting to see what people experience for upload and download speeds when the market is open. Thanks!!