USDA is investing in 64 projects through the Electric Loan Program. This funding will benefit nearly 2 million rural people and businesses in Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin.
Here are some details…
Minnesota’s Beltrami Electric Cooperative is receiving a $22.7 million loan to connect 1,480 consumers and build and improve 225 miles of line. The loan includes $1.3 million for smart grid technologies. Beltrami Electric is headquartered in Bemidji, Minnesota. It serves 21,772 consumers in portions of Beltrami, Cass, Clearwater, Hubbard, Itasca and Koochiching counties with 3,500 miles of distribution line covering approximately 3,000 square miles.
And hope for the future…
In the coming months, USDA will announce additional energy infrastructure financing. The Biden-Harris Administration’s Inflation Reduction Act provided more than $12 billion to USDA for loans and grants to expand clean energy, transform rural power production, create jobs and spur economic growth. This funding will help make energy cleaner, more reliable and more affordable.
Today the MN Broadband Task Force met to get general updates from Office of Broadband Development and Legislature. There is clearly a concern that there are not strong advocates at the legislature despite the $276 million set in Governor’s budget. Hearing about the federal funding, it is clear that it will not come quickly but there are opportunities for local communities to get involved. For example, Region 9 is looking at hosting a broadband conference for their community.
Next meetings are Feb 22 and March 27.
Here are details.
10:00 a.m. – 10:05 a.m. – Welcome, Task Force Introductions, and Approval of Minutes from December 19 and December 22 meetings
Governor recommendation is $138Million per year for the biennium
Bree and/or Teddy have presented to various Legislative committees
No broadband bills yet
Lots of new bill makers (Ecklund is gone; broadband in new committee) – so people have questions about mobile vs fiber and what speeds mean
Q: Will there be a day of the hill?
There was a one for the providers – but not others.
MN Broadband Coalition is not in a position to do a day on the hill; apparently we had a bill due but we’re trying to move forward. We need to convene a meeting. We’d like to at least have a lobby day.
10:10 a.m. – 10:40 a.m. How Can the Task Force Advocate for Broadband Funding at the Legislature? – Nathan Zacharias, Technology Policy Analyst, Association of Minnesota Counties
Tips for lobbying
Have a factsheet (map of availability with quick facts, available federal funds, speed goals, suggested funding level)
Get testimony and/or write letters
Work with committee chairs when you can – also vice chairs and minority leads
Q: Can we look for better than 50 percent match? Can we figure out how much of property tax is going into Border to Border funds already?
Some folks don’t have enough of a tax base to match grants.
10:40 a.m. – 10:50 a.m. – Office of Broadband Development Update by Bree Maki, Executive Director
Border conference 242 people in person and 193 online (registered)
We heard from past three Task Force chairs
We will be doing a survey to see if folks want another conference knowing that we’re missing another conference planner
10:50 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. Line Extension Program Update by Bree Maki
$15 million
People can apply online or via paper to report their unserved address
856 applicants so far (in 3 months) – 53 are businesses
Trying to connect with providers
We think we have funds for about 600 line extensions
Q: Any consideration of accelerating the process?
Not with all of the other things are happening. For example some addresses may be served from recent grant recipients.
Q: Le Sueur is the project partner for this project. We have a lot of fiber in the ground but it’s middle mile. How can we as a county engage with the process? DO we need to rely on vendors? Can we get the addresses?
People have to register themselves. Getting the word out there is most important. We can’t share personal address info.
Q: Is the map available on the website?
No.
Q: Is there any thought to recommend to legislature to improve on the $5 million cap and 50 percent match?
The low density pilot project is still being tested. We reach capacity even with 50 percent match so we’re hard to push on that. There is an interest in going to a $10 million cap and it sounds like folks are talking about it. There are a lot of unknowns.
An Analysis of last year’s applications to see how much of state funding was property taxes.
Association of Townships is working on this.
11:00 a.m. – 11:10 a.m. Border-to-Border Grant Program Update by Diane Wells, Deputy Director, Office of Broadband Development
Awarded $100M to 62 projects in December 2022 – leverage was $152M
Opened the latest round of grants ($42M in ARPA and $25M State), pre-applications were due Jan 19 – applications due March 2 – hope to announce awards by late Spring
25-30 projects are still open
BEAD funding – working with $5M planning grant. Five year plan due July 2023. Each state will receive at least $100M. Goals: 1: reach unserved, reach unserved, get Gig to anchor institutes. Some indication that we might get $650M total (so another extra $550M; we should know mid-June.)
First 20 percent of funding might not be released until mid-2024. There will be 4-years for implementation.
Q: ON the maps … just heard there were one million locations added to maps? Has Connected Nation been able to see anomalies? I know of locations that are misrepresented.
Availability of service is best known by person at that location. So we asked folks to report anomalies. The FCC used a fabric developed by Costquest – one option we have is to use them to try to sync with them or we have decided to work with local source to build a map. That will help us challenge. Some providers have reported to the FCC using different methods. Without the fabric in place first, we’re at a disadvantage. We didn’t do a bulk challenges of addresses but it looks like those who did were rejected.
Q: In Le Sueur we made a push to improved maps – but we’re having trouble even getting surveys done online because the broadband is poor.
The OBD staff is all remote and many rural – they are acutely aware of issues. We hope to get more engaged to document in five year plan.
11:10 a.m. – 11:20 a.m. Break
11:20 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. Digital Equity Update – Hannah Buckland, Digital Equity Program Lead, Office of Broadband Development
Digital Equity Act – not BEAD – Due Nov 30, 2023 – then we send in a noncompete application.
There are 15 aspects we need to address in the capacity grant application.
There are opportunities for communities to get involved and for communities to get funding to get involved.
11:30 a.m. – 11:50 a.m. Input from Governor’s Task Force Members
Q: What can we do to push the issue at the legislature?
We could be at the legislature. Talk to legislators.
11:50 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Public Comment, Other Business, Future Speakers for February 22 and March 27, 2023 Meetings, Wrap-up
If you wish to testify on SF 548, please email the Committee Administrator, Hunter Pederson, at hunter.pederson@senate.mn by 12:00 p.m. (noon) on Tuesday 01/31. Please include your name/the testifier’s name, title, and organization.
Governor’s Task Force on Broadband Tuesday, January 31, 2023 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Click here to join the meeting
Meeting ID: 242 404 479 485
Passcode: uwn3VA
Video Conference ID: 116 345 427 6
10:00 a.m. – 10:05 a.m. – Welcome, Task Force Introductions, and Approval of Minutes from December 19 and December 22 meetings
10:10 a.m. – 10:40 a.m. How Can the Task Force Advocate for Broadband Funding at the Legislature? – Nathan Zacharias, Technology Policy Analyst, Association of Minnesota Counties
10:40 a.m. – 10:50 a.m. – Office of Broadband Development Update by Bree Maki, Executive Director
10:50 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. Line Extension Program Update by Bree Maki
About the Program
Submissions so far with hot spots
Timeline
11:00 a.m. – 11:10 a.m. Border-to-Border Grant Program Update by Diane Wells, Deputy Director, Office of Broadband Development
Past Round and Future Round updates – where at with both grant rounds
Money given out and future money coming from NTIA
Low-Density Pilot Program
11:10 a.m. – 11:20 a.m. Break
11:20 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. Digital Equity Update – Hannah Buckland, Digital Equity Program Lead, Office of Broadband Development
11:30 a.m. – 11:50 a.m. Input from Governor’s Task Force Members
11:50 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Public Comment, Other Business, Future Speakers for February 22 and March 27, 2023 Meetings, Wrap-up
News for folks in Itasca County and an idea for folks who aren’t…
Paul Bunyan Communications, the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe, and the Itasca Economic Development Corporation (IEDC) are holding a sign-up day for the Affordable Connectivity Program, on Monday, February 13 from 1-6 p.m. at the Lone Eagle Community Center in Ball Club.
This new long-term benefit will help to lower the cost of broadband service for eligible households struggling to afford internet service and provides a discount of up to a $30 per month toward broadband service for eligible households and up to $75 per month for qualifying households on qualifying Tribal lands.
A household is eligible if one member of the household meets at least one of the criteria below:
Participates in certain assistance programs, such as SNAP, Medicaid, Federal Public Housing Assistance, SSI, WIC, or Lifeline;
Participates inone of several Tribal specific programs, such as Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance, Tribal Head Start (only households meeting the relevant income qualifying standard) Tribal TANF, or Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations;
Is approved to receive benefits under the free and reduced-price school lunch program or the school breakfast program, including through the USDA Community Eligibility Provision;
Received a Federal Pell Grant during the current award year; or
Meets the eligibility criteria for a participating broadband provider’s existing low-income program.
Eligible households can enroll at the sign-up event, through a participating broadband provider, or by going to ACPBenefit.org to submit an online application or print a mail-in application and contacting their preferred participating broadband provider and selecting a plan. Additional information about the Affordable Connectivity Program Benefit is available at www.fcc.gov/ACP, or by calling 877-384-2575 between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. ET any day of the week.
The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development is awarding approximately $98,750 to deliver broadband infrastructure to 68 households and one business in northwest Dakota County, including portions of Apple Valley and Lakeville – all which lack access to qualifying broadband service today, according to a news release from Rep. John Huot’s office.
More info on the project…
As a result of this broadband grant, Spectrum Mid-America, managed by Charter Communications Inc., will improve broadband service levels, exceeding 2026 state speed goals. The high bandwidth broadband access will assist residents with remote learning and remote working, accommodate members of a household or small business simultaneously using bandwidth-intensive applications, such as video conferencing, telemedicine, video streaming, gaming, virtual or augmented reality sessions, and numerous other applications, the release said. The Border-to-Border Broadband Development Grant Program was created in 2014. The legislative focus of this grant program is to provide financial resources that help make the business case for new and existing providers to invest in building broadband infrastructure into unserved and underserved areas of the state. The Border-to-Border Broadband Grant Program has been funded with state general fund revenues and a combination of both state general fund revenues and the federal American Rescue Plan Act, according to the release.
A nearly $2.9 million grant will improve high speed internet connections in Houston and Winona Counties.
The grant comes as part of Minnesota’s ‘Border-to-Border Broadbrand Grants’ program.
The grant will allow Acentek to bring speeds of up to a gigabyte to 900 locations in the counties.
The state’s 2022 and 2026 state speed goals will be exceeding in the area with the grant’s help and it will be paired with $6.7 million from other local sources.
More than $23 million in grants will be distributed to 30 projects across the state.
Time is running out to meet Minnesota’s statutory goal to get high-speed internet to all households by 2026.
Nearly 300,000 households do not have access to 100 megabits per second download speeds, which should allow family members to stream, game and Zoom without much trouble.
While 88% of the state can get internet at that speed, only 62% of rural areas can, a reflection of how installation costs per household skyrockets as population density goes down.
A large infusion of cash would put the state much closer to its goal.
The governor’s budget recommendation presented to the House Agriculture Finance and Policy Committee Thursday calls for $138 million in each of the next two years to fund grants assisting with middle-mile and last-mile broadband infrastructure. Money could be used for design, permits, installation and testing.
This past year, the Office of Broadband Development distributed $99.6 million in 61 grants out of 130 applications requesting a total of $189.8 million.
Typical grants require a 50% match with a cap of $5 million. However, the broadband office had run a pilot program for very low-density areas with a $10 million cap. The grant could provide 75% of the money.
The office tries to be agnostic as far as the technology, whether fiber, satellite or mobile, said Director Bree Maki, but wired connections have often been more reliable. There is a push, especially when working with federal money, to ensure projects can be built upon, allowing greater speed or reliability in the future.
The FCC is looking for stories to help them with their efforts to prevent digital discrimination. If you have a story, please share it with the FCC- and you’re welcome to send to me as well and perhaps I could share it here too…
The FCC’s Task Force to Prevent Digital Discrimination today announced it is offering consumers an opportunity to share their stories and experiences in obtaining broadband internet access. Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel established the Task Force to serve as a cross-agency effort focused on creating rules and policies to combat digital discrimination and to promote equal access to broadband access across the country, regardless of zip code, income level, ethnicity, race, religion, or national origin. …
In furtherance of the goals to create a framework for addressing digital discrimination and the FCC’s ongoing efforts to identify and address harms experienced by historically excluded and marginalized communities, this new form provides a way for consumers to share their broadband access experiences. Stories shared by consumers will help to inform the work of the Task Force. For more information about the Task Force’s work, visit the Task Force’s webpage. Interested stakeholders also can use this webpage to request meetings with the Task Force.
While this event is aimed at librarians, it’s open to everyone. Librarians are pretty welcoming and ask good questions so it could be an interesting way to learn more about the Office of Broadband Development’s plan for digital equity…
Throughout 2023, the Minnesota Office of Broadband Development (OBD) is developing a statewide digital equity plan to improve internet affordability, access to internet-enabled devices, and availability of digital skills training. This plan will help direct millions of federal dollars to Minnesota for future digital-equity initiatives.
As established leaders in digital equity, libraries have an important role to play in this planning process. On Tuesday, January 31, at 2:00 p.m., please join us to learn from OBD staff about some special opportunities for libraries to contribute to the plan, including through Digital Inclusion Planning Teams, regional gatherings, and a non-competitive grant round.
Bree Maki, director of the Minnesota Office of Broadband Development, presented Governor Walz’s proposed broadband budget to the Minnesota House Agriculture Finance and Policy Committee today (Jan 26). (See handouts.)
Here are their questions:
Q: what does 100/20 mean? Can I zoom with it?
These are faster than original speed goals. They coincide with federal speeds.
Q: But what can you do with it?
One person can Zoom. I have fixed wireless and can work from home even when college kid is home.
Q: What are grant ranges? And how many do you award?
Last year, we distributed $99M in 61 grants. WE have a $5M cap and are piloting a $10M. WE have heard that $5M isn’t enough.
Q: what about mobile vs fiber broadband?
We are technology agnostic. Mobile is catching up; people used hotspots during the pandemic. But fiber is more reliable.
Minnesota broadband provider Arvig has completed an agreement to buy a fiber network from ALP Utilities. The network serves about 130 businesses in the city of Alexandria, MN.
ALP Utilities is a community-owned municipal utility that provides residential and commercial electric and water services to the area in and around Alexandria. The company had partnered with Runestone Electric Association to build the network in the late 1990s, starting with dial up service and later expanding into fiber for local businesses.
Arvig will assume ownership and management of the fiber network, which includes 77 route miles of fiber throughout the city and another 13 miles of conduit, while also retaining all of the network’s existing business customers.
Today local governments, community leaders, industry, state and federal representatives and other critical partners from around the state met to learn about key programs that are aimed at expanding broadband infrastructure and promoting digital equity for our residents. There were folks you have been attending broadband conferences for 17+ years and there were some first timers. There’s more discussion now on digital inclusion than there was in this room in the early days. There’s a recognition now that we need to build both supply and demand.
My notes are high level but should at least provide some outline of what was discussed and when if you want to check out the video. (At each break a new video starts.)
Welcome and Introductions • Commissioner Steve Grove, Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development
Bree Maki, Executive Director, Office of Broadband Development, Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development
Excited about digital equity work
Have a opportunity to make a difference
Evan Feinman, BEAD Program Director, NTIA
Nearly 250,000 families without adequate broadband
We pledge to provide support for people who need federal help and we will be accessible
9:30 a.m. – 9:45 a.m. Broadband in Minnesota: A Look Back This session will look at broadband programs the state has developed to help its communities thrive and how they have overcome some of the unique challenges in the state. Past Governor’s Task Force on Broadband members:
Rick King, Chairman | Metropolitan Airports Commission Former Chair of the Ultra High-Speed Broadband Task Force
A diverse group of people came up with a consensus report
Speed level of 10-20 Mbps down and 5-10 up
The goal may have seemed underwhelming for some but we set a goal
Also set some world class goals
Margaret Anderson Kelliher, Director of Public Works | City of Minneapolis Former Chair of the Minnesota Governor’s Task Force on Broadband
We are not just reporting – we followed up on federal money (ARRA)
We created the OBD
We created the MN Broadband grants – we knew part of MN would never get covered through market case scenarios
Teddy Bekele, Chief Technology Officer | Land O’Lakes Technology Chair of the Minnesota Governor’s Task Force on Broadband
Creating a report for Governor and Legislators
Focus on getting funding
Only 23 percent of the state has gig access
9:45 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. Charting the Path to Connecting all Minnesotans This panel will include a variety of speakers talking about legislative and local efforts to ensure Minnesotans have access to affordable and reliable high-speed internet.
Moderator: Scott Marquardt, Senior Vice President, Southwest Initiative Foundation
Tarryl Clark, Commissioner, Stearns County & Chair, NACo Telecommunications and Technology Policy Steering Committee
Amanda Duerr, Vice President of Public Affairs, St. Paul Chamber of Commerce
Jeff Lacher, CWA Representative, Communications Workers of America
Randy Long, IT Director, Boise Forte Tribal Government
Nathan Zacharius, Technology Policy Analyst, Association of MN Counties
Notes:
We should hold grant recipients to higher standard, not simply meeting base requirements but striving to really get people connected.
We need to train more technicians
COVID has helped to make the case for broadband
Funding is very helpful $400+million gap in federal funding and state need
We need to update speed goals
We need to increase match grant from $5 million; we have more funds now and it’s more expensive to reach the areas that aren’t served. The low density grants *with $10 million cap) may be a better model.
Want to make a difference – contact your legislators. Individual voices brought together are powerful
The message at the Legislature is that broadband is rural and the only need is infrastructure – we need to refocus that to think about more than just infrastructure. Adoption is important too. Let’s figure out their barrier and address those issues.
We need to do education with legislators
Question: What do you do if local match is too much?
We need to figure that out with the OBD and NTIA – we are using county and township ARPA funds.
With State applications – any amount of partnership investment helps with grant scoring.
Partnering with the right provider is key
Question: How can tribal government make match?
Look at the low density grants.
Question: Will we have enough time to deploy funded projects?
That is a real concern. There is a state office that slows things down.
We don’t want to wait on this.
We could look at one-time funds but in large amount with a slow drip.
Let’s give a thought to RDOF.
Question: We have 20 providers in our county with 25 percent satisfaction rate. We’re very piecemeal. We want to create a cooperative. Our local providers do not always get along. What do you think about starting a cooperative?
People have had good luck with it – for example Rock County.
10:30 a.m. – 10:45 a.m. Break
10:45 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. Overview of Federal Broadband Funding Opportunities Representatives from the federal government will provide in-depth overviews of and answer questions about current broadband programs.
Moderator: Julie Tesch, President & CEO, Center for Rural Policy and Development
James Baltazar, Senior Analyst, Office of Field Policy and Management, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Andre Boening, General Field Representative, Minnesota & Wisconsin Telecommunications Program | Rural Development
Tom Karst, Federal Program Officer for Minnesota, NTIA
Alejandro Roark, Chief of the Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau at FCC
Theron Rutyna, Program Specialist, Tribal Broadband Connectivity and Nation-to-Nation Coordination Division, NTIA (Virtual)
11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Why Digital Equity Matters This panel will feature cross-sector leaders discussing why digital equity matters to the communities and populations they work with and why their input is so critical to the state in the development of the Five[1]Year and Digital Equity Plans.
Moderator: Tuleah Palmer, Chief Executive Officer, Blandin Foundation
Phil Essington, Director of Broadband and Digital Inclusion, Hennepin County
Jay Haapala, Associate State Director – Community Engagement, AARP
Jenny Larson, Executive Director, Three Rivers Community Action
Linda Larson, Executive Committee Member, Minnesota Farmers Union
Erik Sievers, MBA, MSW, LICSW, Executive Director, Hiawatha Valley Mental Health Center (Virtual)
Question: how do you collaborate?
We need to challenge our assumptions. Barriers take all forms.
There are older people in rural areas. At AARP we are focusing on training. 94 percent of members 45+ said broadband was very important.
In MN 1 in 10 are living in poverty. We are looking for solutions we can implement. Broadband access is a critical need for our clients. 70+ percent don’t have access at home – part of that is access and part is affordability. We work with communities of color – we made an effort to go to them, to get translators, to figure out there needs and connect them with help.
We get our members to tell their stories to the policymakers.
We ask members and clients about their needs early and often.
Question: Is there an oversight group that looks at digital red lining?
There is a difference in services offered and prices charge depending on geography.
We like to see new technologies. We’d like to see speeds get better everywhere.
Question: I like in a rural area. There are no counselors. It seems like an opportunity to use telehealth.
We have been able to open up jobs to folks who don’t live in the area. Another problem that telehealth can prevent long distance driving when the folks in need have access to broadband.
Question: Housing – everyone in friend’s senior housing is paying for internet/cable than for rent.
We are trying to get people signed up for ACP but in multi-dwelling units, sometimes the provider of choice does not accept ACP.
We are starting to look at community space with wifi access.
Question: How do you get people together to work on these issues?
We are always talking to our partners and clients. We all know each other so we’re together often. Also we need to take the time to look around the table to see who is not here and find a way to get them to the table.
It takes effort, time and cost. We use local advisory committees. We also use annual surveys.
It’s part of the way we do service. Since the pandemic, we’ve been adding zoom to our ways of reaching folks/
Question: Having access doesn’t mean you will access – especially with seniors.
We need to get partners involved and meet people where they are
Question: With low income housing – is there a way to work through the landlord rather than residents?
We are working on that. If you live in public housing, you do qualify for ACP so it makes sense.
12:30 p.m. – 1:15 p.m. Networking Lunch Attendees are encouraged to network with each other and discuss ways they can work together to expand broadband access and digital equity in their communities.
1:15 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. Digital Equity in Best Practice This panel will feature speakers talking about their concrete work in the digital equity arena in terms of planning, programs, strategy, sustainability, and the impact the work has on communities.
Moderator: Julia Carlis, President, Minnesota Library Association and Senior Library Manager, Washington County Library
Ling Becker, Director of Workforce Solutions, Ramsey County and Executive Director, Ramsey County Workforce Innovation Board
Hussein Farah, Founder & Executive Director, New Vision Foundation
Ann Hokanson, Executive Director, Traverse des Sioux Library Cooperative
Allison Waukau, American Indian Community Liaison, Hennepin County
Question: We have to think about accessible from all lenses.
Is it on the bus line? Is there easy/free parking? Are there multiple languages available (including ASL)? Is “in home” possible?
Technology should be predictable.
Broadband speed goals needs to consider the needs of a family household.
Teachers much have hard tech and soft communication skills.
Partnerships are critical
Each partner should bring a partner to grow the coalition.
Have culturally appropriate programming.
2:00 p.m. – 2:45 p.m. Industry Panel: Networking Design and Build This panel will feature industry representatives discussing conditions needed for design and build of broadband networks, funding challenges, what industry may be looking for in partners as well as workforce consideration needs.
Moderator: Carter Grupp, Broadband Coordinator, Otter Tail County – American Connection Corps
Jill Huffman, CEO Harmony Telephone/MiBroadband/Spring Grove Communications
Chris Konechne, Director of Client Services, Finley Engineering Company
Jon Loeffen, Senior Director, Technology & Telecommunications at Northeast Service Cooperative
Melissa Wolf, Government Relations Manager, Midco
Question: Any tips or recommendations for the Border to Border grants?
The $5 million cap makes it difficult to extend the network to new areas
The low density pilot program ($10 million cap) is exciting. With lower caps, it’s tough to make a business case for building broadband to some areas.
The staff at OBD is amazing.
The Line Extension program should help folks who are close to middle mile but not close enough.
Question: What make a strong community for partnership?
Minnesota is the gold standard
Question: What about the challenge process?
It’s getting more and more complex. Minnesota is ahead of the game – but getting a heads up on challenges early in the game.
The border to border challenge comes down to getting relationships nailed down with providers.
Q: There’s a lot of money coming in. Will labor be an issue for many large projects?
A skilled workforce is a challenge. We’ve been engaging our local colleges more.
It takes a year for our new hires to be self led.
Managing expectations is a big deal.
Question: what if you don’t have a local champion
Reach out to incumbent provider
Question: How can the state help keep broadband affordable?
Need to balance cost with affordability. RDOF at least understood a formula for the balance.
Grants help with build out but not maintenance.
As a cooperative, we have a slower expectation for ROI but we need to make sure we are paying bills. We also help to maximize the use by our stakeholders.
Question: How does county map fiber when providers don’t want to share the info?
It adds to the delay in design and deployment.
Develop the relationship to build trust. There are issues with publishing data on networks. State of MN has a map that works. Also need to work on awards.
Questions: Are there barriers we have not yet addressed?
High cost to get to some areas.
Things can time and don’t always coincide with construction seasons.
Staying on budget and on time is tough.
Overlapping windows of grant application announcements and awards.
Rights of way are an issue – access to poles and private easement
Question: What about the solution? What new technologies can help?
There’s more technology going into the networks everyday. Provider managed wifi is now standard. GIS mapping has helped with permitting but in the end, we’re still dealing with lack of connectivity to end user. Fixed Wireless is a rising star.
Part of the solution is what we’re doing here today.
Question: How can small companies work with large providers?
Given them my name.
We have a number of subcontractors; we like folks from the area. We’re always open.
2:45 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Break
3:00 p.m. – 3:45 p.m. Local Coordination: How to Get Involved The state’s broadband success will rely on strong stakeholder engagement and input. This session will feature speakers discussing how everyone can have a voice and share needs, challenges, and solutions to specific broadband access problems across the state.
Moderator: Scott Cole, CEO / Co-Founder, Collectivity
Elliot Christensen, Planner and Grant Writer, Lower Sioux Indian Community
Steve Fenske, General Counsel, MN Association of Townships
Dawn Hegland, Executive Director, Upper Minnesota Valley Regional Development Commission
Nancy Hoffman, Executive Director, Chisago County HRA-EDA
Daniel Lightfoot, Intergovernmental Relations & Federal Relations Manager, League of Minnesota Cities
Question: What starts/moves the movement for better broadband?
The built a team.
Someone had a specific need.
They started by talking to the incumbent providers.
They all invested local dollars.
Survey residents.
Q: Who are the right folks for a team?
It depends on the community. It might be healthcare or workforce.
Q: Who wasn’t at the table and how could you improve?
There are two part of broadband: broadband and digital equity. We need to work on take rates.
Q: Is each town different or are there commonalities?
There are some models to choose from. Some will work some places and others won’t. But providers working with communities seems to work well most places.
3:45 p.m. – 4:15 p.m. Next Steps: Barriers and Tools to Break Them Down This session will focus on how community members can participate in the state’s broadband grant programs and provide input. It’ll also highlight resources that are available to communities at the state and federal level.
Moderator: Benya Kraus Beacom, VP of Civic Ventures, Lead for America – American Connection Corps
Tom Karst, Federal Program Officer for Minnesota, NTIA
Hannah Buckland, Digital Equity Program Lead, Office of Broadband Development, Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development
Diane Wells, Deputy Director, Office of Broadband Development, Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development
4:15 p.m. Closing and Thank You
Bree Maki, Executive Director, Office of Broadband Development, Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development
The Minnesota House will be talking about the Governor’s broadband budget request tomorrow (Jan 26). Here’s more info from the House…
Thursday, January 26, 2023
1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
State Capitol, Room 1205857
***ADDED: Overview of the Governor’s Budget Request for broadband.***
AGENDA*
Overview of the Governor’s Budget Request for broadband.
Overview by Department of Agriculture, Plant Protection Division.
H.F. 47 (Hansen) Pollinator research funding provided, money transferred, and money appropriated.
H.F. 352 (Hansen) University of Minnesota; heritage oilseed and grain initiative funding provided, and money appropriated.
H.F. 80 (Anderson, P. H.) County agricultural inspector grant funding provided, and money appropriated.
HANDOUTS: Handouts MUST BE IN PDF FORMAT and emailed to the committee administrator by 12 p.m. (noon) the business day before the hearing. If you are bringing hard copies, bring 40 copies. Note: submitted written testimony is public and will be included in the official committee record. It may be posted to the committee webpage if received by deadline.
TESTIFYING: Testimony is limited. The number of testifiers and length of time permitted is at the discretion of the chair, and is subject to change. Please plan accordingly. If you would like to testify, please email the committee administrator by 12 p.m. (noon) the business day before the hearing.
ACCESSIBILITY: To learn more about requesting an accommodation, please visit the FAQs for Disability Access. If you have further questions on accommodations or accessibility, please contact the Committee Administrator.
Please note that this list serv notification email is not monitored. If you wish to reply, please email the committee administrator.
