Minnesota BEAD Public Comment Period Open until December 12
Minnesotans have an opportunity to make comments on the plan (Initial Proposal) that will help the Office of Broadband Development (OBD) dole out federal funding (BEAD) for broadband. NTIA’s Tom Karst offers advice on how Minnesotans can impact BEAD and OBD is holding two (duplicate) webinars to talk about the Initial Proposal.

MN Broadband Task Force Nov meeting: BEAD updates
The MN Broadband Task Force met and heard update on federal funding (BEAD) from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) as well as update from the MN Office of Broadband Development.

MN PUC’s suspension of LTD Broadband’s ETC designation
The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (PUC) will be looking into whether to revoke LTD Broadband’s ETC designation, which is required to take advantage of federal grant funding they had been awarded and then revoked.

MN Broadband Line Extension awardees announced
The Office of Broadband Development announced the first round of Line Extension Connection Program. The first round of the program awarded $4,395,257.45 to expand wired broadband.

State News    

• Office of Broadband Development News: Grant info, upcoming meetings, BEAD comments welcome
• How does Minnesota’s Digital Equity Plan compare to other states?
• Minnesota Farms need better broadband – monitoring for bird flu is just one reason
• Minnesota is a model of community development
• Senator Aric Putnam received Ag Award from Minnesota Farmers Union in part for broadband work
• Quick look at impact of Bipartisan Infrastructure Law in Minnesota

Federal/National News

• Quantifying the rural-urban gap and impact of broadband competition
• Research-based advice for Digital Equity Orgs and Policymakers
• President Biden signs Farm Extension Bill, which support extended broadband funding
• Proposed legislation would have broadband providers contribute to Universal Service Fund (USF)
• FCC Map is updated – number of unserved areas drops 13 percent in the US
• New FCC rules protect against discrimination and redlining
• Representative Finstad introduces Linking Access to Spur Technology for Agriculture Connectivity in Rural Environments (LAST ACRE) Act
• Affordable Connectivity Program increased funding soon to be available for high cost areas

Vendor News
C|Net names top MN broadband providers: best, fastest and cheapest

Local Broadband News

Ely
Treehouse is seeking $1.8M to build better broadband in Ely MN (St Louis County)
International Wolf Center in Ely gets $15,000 for digital marketing campaign

Iron Range
Iron Range meets to workshop some broadband solutions: start of a get better broadband checklist

Kandiyohi County
Kandiyohi County hears from three possible broadband partners to expand coverage

Mankato
Editorial in Mankato Free Press on Bipartisan Infrastructure Law

Pipestone County
Pipestone County to invest almost $300,000 in match for potential MN Broadband grant

Sherburne County
Sherburne County set to expand broadband in Big Lake Township with Midco
Sherburne County will be looking at broadband

Twin Cities
It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s a Starlink satellite above the Twin Cities

Upcoming Events, Opportunities and Resources

• Dec 4 & 5: OBD Holding Two (duplicate) Webinars to Share the Draft BEAD Initial Proposal Volume I and II

• OPPORTUNITY: 2024 GigaZone Gaming Championship & TechXpo Set for April 20

• OPPORTUNITY: Nominate someone for the Charles Benton Digital Equity Champion Awards (deadline Dec 7)
• OPPORTUNITY: Minnesota BEAD Public Comment Period Open until Dec 12
• OPPORTUNITY: Changes at Fiber Minnesota lead to opening for Network Engineer
• Black Broadband Summit Nov 2023: Notes on building a black-led broadband cooperative