Every year, the Blandin on Broadband blog does County Broadband Profiles (and will do again when the new maps come out) but given the incoming influx of federal opportunities, it seemed a good time to present information for counties to assess their digital equity standing and give options for who to contact locally for more information. Below are links to the individual county profiles and their ranking based on digital equity factors.
State News
Federal News
- Senators Klobuchar and Smith announce ARPA ReConnect funding coming to Freeborn, Morrison, Stearns, Todd and Houston Counties
- Senator Klobuchar joins others to introduce Digital Equity Foundation Act of 2022
- NTIA improves the Federal Broadband Funding Guide
- White House looks at Digital Asset and consumer protection
- US Senators introduce legislation to Increase Digital Equity, Inclusion, and Literacy
Vendor News
- Should big tech companies pay a toll to broadband providers?
- LTD Broadband responds to ILSR’s participation in PUC case
- Update on MN PUC looking to revoke ETC designation for LTD Broadband – ILSR proposed intervenor
- Turns out broadband at speeds of 25/3 is too slow for business
- Nextlink Internet and Tarana enter Minnesota rural broadband market with fixed wireless
- New ReConnect grants: three include MN communities
- Starlink appeals FCC rejection of RDOF applications
Local Broadband News
Deer River, Ely and Gary
Three new FirstNet Cell sites launch in MN: Deer River, Ely and Gary
Enfield, Monticello, Danube, Kerkhoven and Sunburg
TDS Telecom seeks broadband grants in Enfield, Monticello, Danube, Kerkhoven and Sunburg MN
Fillmore County
Mediacom brings fiber to Wykoff MN
Greenwood Township
Greenwood Townships trying to secure broadband funding with CTC
Le Sueur County
Rep Angie Craig supports better broadband in Le Sueur County
Lincoln County
ITC Expands Fiber-Optic Services to the City of Ivanhoe (Lincoln County)
Todd County
MN Broadband loses an amazing champion in Alex Weego
Upcoming Events, Opportunities and Resources
- October 15: OPPORTUNITY: Benton Institute for Broadband & Society Opportunity Fund Fellowship Call
- OPPORTUNITY: ReConnect to invest more than $1 billion in broadband – applications open now
- Meeting Archive: MN Broadband Task Force meeting Sep 2022: digital equity
- Meeting Archive: MRBC IIJA/BEAD Broadband Funding Webinar Archive
Blandin on Broadband 