BEAD Challenge Process: Wright County asks Residents to take speed tests
Wright County is asking residents to take the BEAD speed tests to help unserved areas gain eligibility to federal BEAD funding. They are striving to maximize their access to funding in a smart way.
Digital Inclusion Funding to Open
Biden-Harris Administration opens applications for $1 billion digital inclusion grant program. The is deadline September 23, 2024.
MN Broadband Task Force: BEAD Challenge
The hot topic at the Task Force meeting was the BEAD federal broadband funding and importance of the challenge process. Unserved communities and residents are strongly encouraged to submit challenges and/or speed tests to demonstrate their need.
State News
- MPR outlines the impact of global tech hiccup in Minnesota
- WARNING: Minnesota nonprofits getting scammed
- New law will give Minnesotans more privacy protection online
- Minnesota is ranked 6th in the nation for business
- Rural broadband in Indiana has some parallels with rural broadband in Minnesota
- Midwest Broadband Providers concerned about E-ACAM subsidies
Federal
- Unreliable maps may cost rural and urban communities federal funding
- US Senate Passes Child Online Safety Bill, Sending It to an Uncertain House Fate
- Congresswoman Angie Craig Introduces Bipartisan Bill to Expand the Affordable Connectivity Program
- Congresswoman Angie Craig working on bill to make selling illicit drugs on social media illegal
- Doug Dawson finds a very big small problem in deploying BEAD dollars
- CWA create report card for projects funded by ARPA
- Appeals Court rules put Universal Service Fund in jeopardy
- Losing ACP will cost everyone – but especially IIJA’s covered populations
- FCC Launches New Mobile Speed Test App
- NTIA highlights benefits and pitfalls of broadband for people with disabilities
- More info on the global technology outage
- Tribal Broadband Bootcamps bring connectivity, knowledge and skills
- Mankato Free Press speaks on cross roads of federal broadband funding and regulations
- Benton Institute for Broadband & Society looks at Project 2025
- MinnPost on the challenge FCC broadband coverage maps
- Internet Usage Reports shows pandemic trends are still around
- Research questions efficacy of federal funding programs for broadband
- Better broadband helps boosts agritourism
- The Impact of demise of ACP on low-income households
- National efforts to allow local governments to charge broadband franchising fees to cable companies
- US Bill introduced in Senate to return defaulted broadband grants to states
OBD Updates OBD BEAD-related training and updates
- Notes from BEAD Challenge weekly office hours: Take the speed test & how to rebut
- Broadband Matters OBD Updates: BEAD, Digital Opportunity, meetings and hiring
- Demonstrating compliance with the Buy America requirement: from the NTIA
- Jul 25: OBD meeting notes and screenshots on BEAD Challenge portal and process
- MN OBD Office Hour notes and video: Tour of BEAD map and portal – July 18, 2024
- MN Office of Broadband Development Updates: Portal open, upcoming meetings
- MN Office of Broadband Development: new portal, office hours, questions and answers about BEAD
- Notes and Video from MN Office of Broadband Development BEAD Challenge Information Session
Vendor News
- Charter Communications reports fewer subscriber loss – but sees impact of ACP loss
- T-Mobile and KKR Announce Joint Venture to Acquire Metronet
- Intrepid Fiber secures $290M for broadband deployment in Minnesota and Colorado
- The FCC offers guidance for providers who may default on RDOF and CAF goals
- Paul Bunyan Communications returns more than $3 million to members
Local Broadband News
Paul Bunyan Communications deploys FTTH to Ball Bluff, Cornish and Verdon Townships (Aitkin County)
Carver County
Metronet building FTTH in Chanhassen, Shorewood and Victoria (Carver County)
Dakota County
Dakota County library extends services to meet patron need – including access to social workers
Some MN libraries find ways to provide after-hours access
Hennepin County
Gateway Fiber deploys fiber in Plymouth MN (Hennepin County)
Morris
E-Commerce helps Morris MN entrepreneur sell modest fashion all over the world
Nowthen
Comcast breaks ground in Nowthen (Anoka County) to build fiber
Scott County
Scott County urges residents to take speed tests to qualify for $652 Million broadband funding
Willmar
Willmar City Council to look at finalizing plans with Hometown Fiber
Upcoming Events, Opportunities and Resources
- August 19 – MN Broadband Task Force Meeting
- August 28-29 – MN PUC hearing on LTD Broadband
- September 24 – MN Broadband Task Force Meeting
- October 29 – MN Broadband Task Force Meeting
- Nov 18: Black Broadband Summit in North Mpls
- November 26 – MN Broadband Task Force Meeting
- December 17 – MN Broadband Task Force Meeting
- OPPORTUNITY: Benton Institute’s 2024 Opportunity Fund Fellowship Call
- OPPORTUNITY: Grants for libraries for digital equity and cybersecurity
- OPPORTUNITY: Broadband Technical Assistance from USDA deadline Aug 20
- OPPORTUNITY: IRRRB Broadband Infrastructure grant open July 1