A lot of activity from the MN Office of Broadband Development today, much of what I’m posting is duplicative today but it’s nice to have each communication for the archive. Also, it’s been a busy summer (and beyond) for the staff and these are the products of that hard work…
Broadband Matters: Office of Broadband Development Updates
- Draft of MN BEAD Final Proposal, available for public comment
- BEAD Final Proposal Information Sessions, online + in-person
- Broadband news and events
Draft of MN BEAD Final Proposal, available for public comment
The Minnesota Office of Broadband Development (OBD) has drafted and posted the draft of the Final Proposal, as required under the Broadband, Equity, Access, and Deployment Program (BEAD). Upon receipt and consideration of comments to this document, the Minnesota Office of Broadband Development will submit this document for consideration to the National Telecommunications and Information Association (NTIA), the administrators of BEAD, including the Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Department of Commerce on September 4.
The Final Proposal and its attachments are available now on the OBD BEAD webpage.
Submit a Public Comment on Minnesota’s BEAD Final Proposal no later than Wednesday September 3:
- Preferred: Complete and submit this online form, Minnesota BEAD Final Proposal Public Comment Form
- Email deed.broadband@state.mn.us with the subject line, “Minnesota BEAD Final Proposal Public Comment”
- Call (651)-259-7610 and leave a message with your comment
- Submit by written response only available to attendees of the in-person regional events
The OBD will be offering the following Minnesota BEAD Final Proposal Information Sessions to provide an overview of the draft of the Final Proposal, steps for public comment, and next steps for BEAD in Minnesota. Information will also be posted to the OBD BEAD webpage.
Open to the public to attend, and no registration required, regional in-person Final Proposal Information Sessions are scheduled for:
- Friday Aug. 29, 10—11am, Southwest Initiative Foundation (SWIF), Hutchinson, 15 3rd Ave NW Hutchinson, MN.
- Note: Attendees, please plan to find street parking.
- Tuesday Sept. 2, 9—10am, Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation (SMIF), Owatonna, 525 Florence Ave, Owatonna, MN.
- Tuesday Sept. 2, 3:30—4:30pm, Northwest Minnesota Foundation (NWMF), Bemidji, 201 3rd Street NW Bemidji, MN.
- Note: Attendees, please plan to find street parking.
- Wednesday Sept. 3, 9—10am, West Central Initiative Foundation (WCIF), Fergus Falls, 1000 Western Ave, Fergus Falls, MN.
- Note: Attendees, please park in the part of the lot on the south side of the building.
- Wednesday Sept. 3, 3—4pm, Northspan, Duluth, 202 West Superior Street, Suite 600, Duluth, MN.
- Note: Attendees, this is located in the in the WesternBank building. Parking can be found on the street, the Holiday Center, or in the Duluth Transit Center.
OBD will also be holding an online event for Tribal partners on Wednesday September 3.
Questions on events should be emailed to deed.broadband@state.mn.us.
Broadband news and events
- New bill would include farmland, fields on FCC broadband map as broadband serviceable locations
- Fiber Broadband Association, Best Practices When Dealing with BEAD Complexities
- Read the latest on other state’s BEAD progress here on BEAD – Broadband Breakfast
- The Minnesota Public Broadband Alliance is offering a free event, What’s Next for Broadband in Minnesota on September 10 at 9am in New Prague, MN. More information on the event is available online and registration is open.