Monthly Archives: August 2025

Publicly-owned ConnectSuperior now open for business in Superior WI

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WDIO reports...

The City of Superior now has the first publicly-owned, open-access broadband network in the state of Wisconsin. ConnectSuperior went live this week and is currently available to residents and businesses in the Central Superior neighborhood.

Superior’s open-access network is like a highway. The city owns and maintains the infrastructure, in this case fiber optic cables and lines. Then different companies, internet service providers, can use that to transport internet access to customers.

How can residents plug into new internet options? ConnectSuperior offers two different internet service providers: Advance Stream and Superion. The city expected to have 80 customers make the switch within the first year. But they have already surpassed that with close to 100 people joining just this first week.

The FCC is looking for comments about Cottage Grove’s rights of way contract with one provider

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I’m offering two chapters of an ongoing story of Cottage Grove working for better broadband. The FCC is looking for comments on Cottage Grove, Minnesota’s contact that allows exclusive access to rights of way for broadband deployment for a period of time…

Comments Due: September 12, 2025

Reply Comments Due: October 14, 2025

The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition for preemption and declaratory ruling filed pursuant to section 253(d) of the Communications Act (Act).1 The petition was filed on August 6, 2025 by BIF IV Intrepid OpCo LLC (Intrepid)2 and asks the Commission to preempt a contract that the city of Cottage Grove, Minnesota (the City) has entered with another provider to deploy fiber optic infrastructure in the City.3 The petition states that the City entered the contract after issuing a Request for Proposal4 stating that “the City will not issue future right of way permits for broadband projects for at least five years” after reaching an agreement, thereby providing “the chosen broadband partner(s) exclusive rights to access the assigned rights of way for broadband services to serve the City of Cottage Grove until at least 2030.”5 Intrepid states that, due to the award of an exclusive contract to another provider, permit applications that it submitted to expand its fiber optic telecommunications network to the City are now being denied.6

Interested parties may file comments or oppositions to the Intrepid Petition on or before September 12, 2025 and reply comments on or before October 14, 2025. All filings addressing the Intrepid Petition must reference WC Docket No. 25-248.

  • Electronic Filers: Comments and oppositions may be filed electronically using the Internet by accessing the Commission’s Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS): www.fcc.gov/ecfs.
  • Paper Filers: Parties who choose to file by paper must file an original and one copy of each filing.

o Filings can be sent by hand or messenger delivery, by commercial courier, or by the U.S. Postal Service. All filings must be addressed to the Secretary, Office of the Secretary, Federal Communications Commission.

o Hand-delivered or messenger-delivered paper filings for the Commission’s Secretary are accepted between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. by the FCC’s mailing contractor at 9050 Junction Drive, Annapolis Junction, MD 20701. All hand deliveries must be held together with rubber bands or fasteners. Any envelopes and boxes must be disposed of before entering the building.

o Commercial courier deliveries (any deliveries not by the U.S. Postal Service) must be sent to 9050 Junction Drive, Annapolis Junction, MD 20701.

o Filings sent by U.S. Postal Service First-Class Mail, Priority Mail, and Priority Mail Express must be sent to 45 L Street NE, Washington, DC 20554.

People with Disabilities. To request materials in accessible formats for people with disabilities (braille, large print, electronic files, audio format), send an e-mail to fcc504@fcc.gov or call the Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau at (202) 418-0530.

Ex Parte Rules. The proceeding this Notice initiates shall be treated as “permit-but-disclose” proceeding in accordance with the Commission’s ex parte rules.8 Persons making ex parte presentations must file a copy of any written presentation or a memorandum summarizing any oral presentation within two business days after the presentation (unless a different deadline applicable to the Sunshine period applies). Persons making oral ex parte presentations are reminded that memoranda summarizing the presentation must (1) list all persons attending or otherwise participating in the meeting at which the ex parte presentation was made and (2) summarize all data presented and arguments made during the presentation. If the presentation consisted in whole or in part of the presentation of data or arguments already reflected in the presenter’s written comments, memoranda or other filings in the proceeding, the presenter may provide citations to such data or arguments in his or her prior comments, memoranda, or other filings (specifying the relevant page and/or paragraph numbers where such data or arguments can be found) in lieu of summarizing them in the memorandum. Documents shown or given to Commission staff during ex parte meetings are deemed to be written ex parte presentations and must be filed consistent with rule 1.1206(b). In proceedings governed by rule 1.49(f) or for which the Commission has made available a method of electronic filing, written ex parte presentations and memoranda summarizing oral ex parte presentations, and all attachments thereto, must be filed through the electronic comment filing system available for that proceeding, and must be filed in their native format (e.g., .doc, .xml, .ppt, searchable .pdf). Participants in these proceedings should familiarize themselves with the Commission’s ex parte rules.

For further information, please contact Elizabeth Drogula, Competition Policy Division, Wireline Competition Bureau, at (202) 418-1591 or via e-mail at Elizabeth.Drogula@fcc.gov

For background, Cottage Grove is working with Gateway Fiber to deploy in their community. (I shared that announcement in July.) They posted an RFP. In March 2025, they answered clarifying questions concerning the RFP, including questions on the rights of way…

Question: With respect to 47 U.S. Code § 253 – Removal of barriers to entry – No State or local statute or regulation, or other State or local legal requirement, may prohibit or have the effect of prohibiting the ability of any entity to provide any interstate or intrastate telecommunications service – and Minnesota State Statute 237.163 – USE AND REGULATION OF PUBLIC RIGHT-OF-WAY, Subdivisions 1-4 – this RFP seems to be in conflict with both. Can you clarify the guidance you are following that deems this RFP in compliance with both regulations?

Answer: 47 U.S. Code § 253, or Chapter 5 of Title 47: Telecommunications, is not applicable here as it applies to wire or radio communications. Broadband is governed under Chapter 12 of Title 47 (47 U.S. Code § 1301-1308). The federal regulations governing broadband to do not prohibit the City from regulating their public rights-of-way.

Municipalities have several legal rights when it comes to managing or restricting access to public rights-of-way (ROW) for broadband companies. These rights are typically established under federal, state, and local laws.

The City of Cottage Grove is not attempting to restrict or prohibit access to public rights-of-way for broadband companies. The City has simply implemented a fair and efficient manner in which to regulate and manage the installation and maintenance of broadband services through their Request for Proposals. The City’s primary goal is to provide sufficient broadband to each area of the City in an efficient and orderly manner – taking into account the limited space within the public rights-of-ways and the access needs of the community during construction.

Under Minn. Stat. 237.163, a local government is specifically authorized to manage and regulate the use of public rights of way. The legislature found it necessary to give local governments this authority because of the potential for installation by broadband companies of multiple and competing facilities within the public rights-of-way. Therefore, a local government may exercise the option to regulate the use of public rights-of-way so long as the regulation is carried out in a fair, efficient, competitively neutral, and substantially uniform manner. The City of Cottage Grove has chosen to exercise this option and manage the public rights-of-way pursuant to Cottage Grove City Code § 7-6-2.

The City’s authority to regulate the use of public rights-of-way is further iterated in Minn. Stat. § 116J.399, Subd. 8 which states “the placement of broadband infrastructure to provide broadband service . . . is subject to local government permitting the right-of-way management authority under section 237.163, and must be coordinated with the relevant local government unit . . .”

In summary, Minnesota municipalities have well-defined rights and responsibilities authorizing them to manage public rights-of-way concerning broadband companies. This authority is balanced with obligations to ensure non-discriminatory practices and to facilitate the deployment of broadband services for the public benefit.

EVENT Dec 8-12: Internet 2 Hands-On Tutorials in AI, Cloud, Networking, and More

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The event is in Denver. Internet 2 is generally education-focused. But the hands-on aspect is compelling!

TechEX25: See You in Denver

Registration is open! Mark your calendars for the upcoming 2025 Internet2 Technology Exchange held Dec. 8-12 in Denver, Colo. at the Sheraton Denver Downtown. Be sure to scoop up the best pricing by registering before September 5. 

View the Program

The TechEX25 program is now available, offering early insights into timely topics:

  • AI and Data-Driven Innovation
  • Cloud Architecture, DevOps, and Infrastructure Automation
  • Network Engineering and Performance
  • Wireless Innovation and Mobility

 

Proposal submissions are open for Posters until Sept. 5 and for Working Meetings until Sept. 26. The selected Tutorials / Co-Located Meetings are posted and the program of talks is in process.

With a wide range of talks, tutorials, posters, working meetings, and sponsored social events, this is a must-attend event for our community. We hope to see you in the Mile High City this December!

Good news, bad news: An update of broadband in Tribal Areas including some in Minnesota

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A recent Ookla study (Many U.S. Tribal Nations Still Lack Access to Adequate Fixed and Mobile Connectivity) reports…

U.S. Tribal Nations experience some of the biggest gaps when it comes to access to fast and reliable fixed and mobile connectivity. While progress has been made in some Tribal Nations, the connectivity gap for many remains quite large.

According to the FCC’s 2024 data, approximately 23% of residents of Tribal Nations lack access to high-speed internet service, defined as 100 Mbps download speed and 20 Mbps upload speed (100/20 Mbps).

Using Ookla® Speedtest® data, we analyzed the fixed and mobile broadband performance of 110 Tribal Nations in the U.S. from Q1 2021 to Q1 2025 and compared them with the connectivity speeds of the states that share geography with them.

There were some MN highlights…

For example, the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community experienced median 5G mobile download speeds of 468.42 Mbps in Q1 2025, which is 64.3% faster than the median 5G mobile download speeds of 285.05 Mbps for Q1 2025 for the state of Minnesota, which shares geography with the Shakopee Mdewakanton Tribal Nation.

Shakopee Mdewakanton also was a top performer in median 5G mobile upload speeds of 36.92 Mbps in Q1 2025, which is more than double Minnesota’s 5G median mobile upload speeds of 14.87 Mbps.

These fast 5G speeds are likely a result of the Shakopee Mdewakanton Tribal Nation’s many gaming and resort ventures, including the Mystic Lake Casino Hotel and the Little Six Casino, which are large employers and generate a lot of revenue for the Tribal Nation, which drive investments in 5G infrastructure.

Leech Lake also ranked top 10 with fastest 5G mobile upload speeds of 17.42.

There are opportunities for improvement with Mille Lacs having the fourth slowest fixed upload speed at 6.21 Mbps.

Here’s the info they did have on some tribal areas in Minnesota…

Place Technology Median Download Median Upload
Fond du Lac All Fixed 49.41 38.88
Leech Lake All Fixed 47.5 36.17
Mille Lacs All Fixed 56.25 5.79
Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux All Fixed 201.57 204.67
White Earth All Fixed 125.2 31.5

Not included are:

  • Bois Forte
  • Grand Portage
  • Lower Sioux
  • Prairie Island
  • Red Lake
  • Upper Sioux

But hoping to track down more details if Ookla can get/share them.

Office of Broadband Development Updates: Upcoming events and BEAD & Line Extension updates

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From the Office of Broadband Development…

Broadband Matters: Office of Broadband Development Updates

  • Broadband Task Force at August Farmfest
  • Restructured BEAD Round updates + upcoming information sessions
  • Line Extension Connection Program
  • Broadband events and news

Broadband Task Force at August Farmfest

The Broadband Task Force met at Minnesota Farmfest last week to discuss the important connection between broadband and agriculture. This meeting featured a panel discussion with Commissioner Thom Petersen (Department of Agriculture), Miles Kuschel (Board of Directors, District 6, Minnesota Farm Bureau), and Anne Schwagerl (Vice President, Minnesota Farmers Union) on topics around precision agriculture, AI in agriculture, and the future of broadband in agriculture in Minnesota.

A huge thank you to the panelists and attendees for sharing their time and expertise in discussing this important topic.

Restructured BEAD Round updates + upcoming information sessions

OBD is currently reviewing and deconflicting locations from the Restructured Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Round of subgrantee selection.

Next steps and additional resources to watch for on the OBD BEAD webpage include:

  • Registration now open for the Minnesota BEAD Final Proposal Virtual Information Session, Thursday August 28 at 11am CST, which will provide an overview of the Final Proposal, steps for public comment, and next steps for BEAD in Minnesota. This webinar will be recorded and posted to the OBD BEAD webpage.
  • The Minnesota BEAD Final Proposal will be posted to the OBD BEAD webpage for a 7-day public comment on Thursday August 28. The Final Proposal is due to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) by Friday September 4.
  • Coming soon: OBD will be announcing regional, in-person Final Proposal Information Sessions on the BEAD Final Proposal. These will be scheduled the first week in September, and open to anyone to attend with no registration required. When finalized, dates and logistics will be posted to the OBD BEAD webpage and shared in another email blast.

If you have questions on the webinars or in-person events, please reach out to deed.broadband@state.mn.us.  

The Minnesota Line Extension Connection Program aims to connect residents and businesses that lack access to wired broadband internet service with service providers and assist in the expense of extending broadband to those locations.

Owners of residential and business locations lacking a wired internet connection with access to actual speeds equal to or greater than 25 Mbps download and 3 Mbps upload, can submit their address location for bid consideration by entering their information into the Line Extension Connection portal to initiate their interest in receiving broadband internet service. Applicants should complete every applicable question including providing additional comments that will help explain the critical need of broadband for the household/business, including any barriers. More information on how to submit an application via portal, phone, or mail is available on the OBD Line Extension Connection webpage.

Broadband events and news

The Minnesota Public Broadband Alliance, member of the American Association for Public Broadband, is offering a free event, What’s Next for Broadband in Minnesota on September 10 at 9am in New Prague, MN.

The even will host featured speakers, Gigi Sohn of the American Association of Public Broadband, Christopher Mitchel of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance, and OBD’s Executive Director Bree Maki. More information on the event is available online and registration is open below:

Minnesota broadband was additionally featured:

  • Director Maki was also quoted in an August 6 Star Tribune article, on the impacts of the BEAD program on OBD’s work: “[Minnesota] had this big program that we really thought could maximize the state and federal efforts,” Maki said, “and the timing is just taking a little longer than anticipated.”

Computer ownership is top priority for “successful internet access”

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A recent report from the Journal of Computer-Mediated  Communications found…

Both computers and internet access are important tools. They are used to make purchases, get an education, and access healthcare, among other things. But which of these resources is more important? Is it more valuable to use a computer or have the internet at home? One way to try to answer this question is by looking at patterns in the relationship between having in-home internet or using a computer and using the internet in beneficial ways (e.g., eHealth, job searches, and government services). Analysis of census data from 2021 and 2023 finds that using a computer is more strongly associated with beneficial uses of the internet than having in-home internet. Also, in a comparison of households where people use computers but do not have the internet with households that have the internet but do not use computers, we find that households with computers and no internet are more likely to use the internet in beneficial ways. These benefits are generally enhanced when the computers work well. Altogether, these data support the argument that although both in-home internet and computers are important, governments, schools, and other organizations should help ensure that people have reliable access to computers at home.

In some ways, this feels like a chicken and egg situation and in the conclusion of the report, the authors seem to recognize that both are important…

Despite the limitations of cross-sectional data, these findings underscore the role that computers play in ensuring successful internet access. Although this may seem obvious, U.S. policy has historically emphasized provisions of internet service (King & Gonzales, 2023), a conversation that was magnified for important reasons during COVID-19. We do not mean to diminish the importance of in-home internet service, particularly in homes with smartphone users. Internet access is critical for daily life in industrialized contexts, and the enormously expensive nature of broadband infrastructure often requires government intervention. But, as a result, policies may at times overlook the essential nature of having physical and operational access to a reliable computer. Researchers should continue to explore the barriers that people face in successfully accessing a computer. With a substantial percent of the U.S. population still without in-home internet or computer access, there is still work to be done.

AOL is unplugging its dialup service on Sep 30, 2025

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The Minnesota Star Tribune reports…

AOL’s dial-up internet is finally taking its last bow.

Yes, while perhaps a dinosaur by today’s digital standards, dial-up is still around. But AOL says it’s officially pulling the plug for its service on Sept. 30.

“AOL routinely evaluates its products and services and has decided to discontinue Dial-up Internet,” AOL wrote in a brief update on its support site — noting that dial-up and associated software ”optimized for older operating systems” will soon be unavailable on AOL plans.

AOL, formerly America Online, introduced many households to the world wide web for the first time when its dial-up service launched decades ago, rising to prominence particularly in the 90s and early 2000s.

Some folks still use dialup…

Still, a handful of consumers have continued to rely on internet services connected over telephone lines. In the U.S., according to Census Bureau data, an estimated 163,401 households were using dial-up alone to get online in 2023, representing just over 0.13% of all homes with internet subscriptions nationwide.

“Digital literacy isn’t a luxury. It’s health care access…” Op Ed in Star Tribune

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The Minnesota Star Tribune posts an Op Ed from a technology services coordinator at Senior Community Services, a nonprofit program based in Minnetonka…

Retirement, which should be relaxing, becomes a frustrating tangle of technology to unweave in order to access basic benefits. Unfortunate considering it could be a resource that greatly augments real life.

The hurdles aren’t lack of intelligence or effort. My work has taught me that using technology is a learned skill — sometimes intuitive, sometimes learned through repetition and no logic at all.

Not everyone has broadband access either, or a working device, in addition to the skills to navigate it all. Assuming everyone does is either dangerously optimistic or willfully naive. And yet we’re cutting federal digital equity funding. How are we to ensure these essential systems remain accessible? Technology becomes a barrier, not a benefit.

Digital literacy isn’t a luxury. It’s health care access, financial safety and civic engagement. In Minnesota alone, hundreds of thousands of households lack basic broadband speed to support access to video telehealth.

If the connection is unstable, video calls with a doctor can drop, freeze or lag. To the average tech user, these glitches are minor annoyances. But for someone who isn’t tech-savvy, they’re debilitating. But with the end of programs like the Affordable Connectivity Program and the derailment of the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program, low-income and rural households are being cut off from both the infrastructure and the support they need to stay connected.

Even if we solve the infrastructure problem, anyone who has upgraded their cellphone in the past few years could tell you that services and devices are more expensive than ever. I would never recommend a refurbished, low-cost, generic-brand device to an older adult. They’re often buggy and their user experience is the least intuitive and user-friendly interface I’ve seen.

Thankfully, local programs are stepping in to help. Many libraries now offer computer help clinics, and nonprofits, like ours, hold digital literacy sessions at senior centers and community hubs across the metro.

Volunteers and staff are helping older Minnesotans use their smartphone and tablets and build confidence in this new, vulnerable digital landscape.

T-Mobile is set to acquire US Internet

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Minneapolis St Paul Business Journal reports…

Telecom giant T-Mobile US Inc. (Nasdaq: TMUS) is set to acquire U.S. Internet, the Twin Cities internet service provider that has built a fiber network throughout much of Minneapolis and some surrounding suburbs.

Minnetonka-based USI this month sent a letter to customers announcing that U.S. Internet is joining T-Mobile. “Although the closing date for our transaction has not yet been set, we anticipate that following regulatory approval, you’ll become a T-Mobile customer on or after Sept. 2,” the letter read.

Terms of the deal weren’t disclosed. Officials at T-Mobile and USI couldn’t be immediately reached for comment.

The letter said that USI will be part of the T-Mobile Fiber Home Internet service. The Bellevue, Washington-based company launched its fiber home internet product June 5, a month after T-Mobile and investment firm EQT acquired High Point, North Carolina-based fiber internet provider Lumos.

North St Paul experiences cyberattack

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Minnesota Star Tribune reports…

Public safety and essential city services continue to operate in North St. Paul as the city investigates a recent cyberattack on the city’s Police Department.

The breach was related to a phishing email sent to one business email account within the North St. Paul Police Department, said city spokeswoman Ava Griemert.

The attack was contained to a single account. There has been no impact outside of the one affected account, Griemert said.

On Monday, the City Council voted to hire a law firm to provide legal services and approved a contract with a cybersecurity company to conduct an investigation after what is being called a “business email compromise” came to light.

“Thanks to our IT team’s swift response, the unauthorized access was quickly identified, isolated, and terminated,” the city said Tuesday.

It’s important to see what’s happening in the area and how different local governments are taking care of the situation.

MN Star Tribune says experts predict MN will miss 2026 goal for total broadband access

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The MN Star Tribune reports…

In 2019, Gov. Tim Walz set a goal for all Minnesotans to have access to broadband with download speeds of 100 megabits per second by 2026, which would allow two to four internet users per household.

But with four months until the goal’s end date, Mohr is one of many Minnesotans still without that speed.

Experts say the goal isn’t likely to be met, partially because of delays in federal funding.

“Almost every county has a portion that is rural and unserved,” said Sarah Davis, vice president for market development at broadband provider Consolidated Communications. “So, every county has a need.”

While the goals set by the 2019 task force on broadband are outdated, as many speeds are already much faster, the state Office of Broadband Development reported only 88% of residents had those speeds in 2023.

The state also missed its 2022 goal of a slower, 25 megabit download minimum speed for all Minnesotans, as some rural residents still don’t have the lower speed options. Nearly 92% of the state met the 2022 goal in 2023.

In 2024, 90% of the state was served by wireline service and had cables for broadband access rather than fixed wireless, which serves 95% of residents.

The article goes into greater detail but adds…

Minnesota Office of Broadband Development Executive Director Bree Maki said the BEAD program has delayed the office’s work.

“We had this big program that we really thought could maximize the state and federal efforts,” Maki said, “and the timing is just taking a little longer than anticipated.”

Davis said she believes the BEAD program’s goal of providing reliable broadband to all Americans over the next four years is possible. But that means some Minnesotans could continue to wait for internet until 2030.

MN Broadband Task Force August 2025: On location at Farmfest

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The MN Broadband Task Force met at Farmfest today. It was a short meeting, but they got to spend time with panelists who work in the ag business. It was interesting to hear from folks who have been (or still are) living on the slow end of the broadband divide. Also, there was an interesting push-pull conversation about precision agriculture and the growing need for data and the ability to process it with the energy it requires and the possible impact on local water.

2:30 p.m. – 2:35 p.m.   Welcome – Teddy Bekele, Chair, Minnesota Governor’s Task Force on Broadband

2:35 p.m. – 2:40 p.m.   Roll Call + Approval of minutes from June Task Force Meeting – Described the Task Force and had Task Force members introduce themselves.

2:40 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.  Relationship between agriculture in Minnesota, and fast, reliable broadband – Panel discussion between representatives from the Department of Agriculture, Farmer’s Union, and Farm Bureau on the relationship between agriculture in Minnesota, and fast, reliable broadband.  

Three panelists from rural/ag communities talk about their broadband needs.

Where is broadband needed?

  • Cooperatives have been powerful in getting broadband to rural MN. We get broadband from our local coop. (It’s the year of the cooperative.)
  • In most places, there’s one broadband provider. That’s fine when the provider is good but we need competitive in areas where that isn’t true.
  • Farmers use data – especially uploading data.
  • During COVID we really learned the importance of good broadband. Until we got better broadband, we have five ways to get online in our home.
  • Broadband can mean a resurgence for rural towns and communities. When people can work from home, they can live anywhere.
  • Broadband helps the largest and smallest farms.
  • Coops are great.

What would a connected community look like to you?

  • Just being connected would make a difference to keeping small towns alive.
  • In Pine City, we are seeing people move to our community. Often farmers need a second job for income and insurance.
  • Data gets bigger and bigger – we need broadband to manage it. Especially for precision ag.

What are the challenges to broadband?

What do you think of AI impacting ag?

  • It’s going to harness actionable data – for crops and livestock
  • We’re getting pitched on AI all of the time. We’re skeptical but we’re watching it. We’re not into it if is leads to more consolidation.
  • AI will double our energy needs and MN has made a commitment to clean energy – this seems in conflict and we need to have a conversation about that.
  • Our population is changing. We need greater diversity in farmers – so nice to have translation services.
  • Data collected on water and nitrates is also positive.
  • There do need to be checks and balances.

How are you holding federal and state agencies accountable for things like BEAD and USF changes?

  • No audible answer

How important is latency to you?

  • I don’t notice it with fiber – but I’m not on satellite or wifi.
  • Fiber has been so reliable for us.
  • This was an issue with teenage gamers at home but when we moved from Stalink to ECE we have fewer complaints. I also don’t hears as much from our neighbors. Farmers have to upload a lot and it had been an issue but as more fiber is available we see fewer issues.
  • From dialup to fiber – it’s been great. With email, it does matter. With videoconferencing, we notice the difference. BUT autonomous operations cannot tolerate latency.
  • We have seen lots of applications that need best broadband at Farmfest.

How can the TF help you?

  • Speed is 25/3 – but we need more. We need 100/100 and eventually gig access – especially with fully autonomous applications.
  • The efforts to get last mile are not working. We need a better plan.
  • I hear from people who go from crappy to good service and its life-changing.

There’s no State funding in the budget because we thought federal funding would work. But if it doesn’t – what do you need legislators to do/think?

  • The need will only continue to grow. 25/3 will not handle the growth for long.
  • One size does not fit all. I live in an area without trees, so wireless works for us.
  • If there’s limited funds, maybe we need to focus funding.
  • The push for fiber may not be affordable for everyone, we need to go with cheapest choices.

Q: From precision ag: As data centers are moving closer to the home, do you have concerns or ideas?

  • There’s concern about data centers on ag land – especially when it comes to water and water needs. Especially in southern and southeast MN.
  • Ditto
  • There used to be a concern – there’s a push and pull between water and energy needs. You want to use AI on the farm but it can’t be taken away because energy needs it. Making sure that tech companies work with communities is important.

Q: Economic development in SE MN: Is there any movement to get back RDOF funds?

  • It would be great
  • RDOF defaulted locations were at least re-added to the BEAD maps. But it is unlikely that we will recover the funding.

Q: Economic development in SE MN: Is there a push to get FTTH funding for communities that are “served” (according to the maps) by national providers but aren’t really served?

  • Local communities who aren’t served need to work on their situation
  • We need competition and we need to find a way to incentivize competition. We had a national provider who years, who never met our needs.
  • I’m not a fan of municipal providers but maybe if the municipal providers went with a open access model. You need to put out an RFP.

Why are you so passionate about broadband?

  • Three kids. The ability to learn and educate yourself. (Can’t be a YouTube mechanic on sate.)
  • Geofencing looks exciting.
  • Direct sales works better with broadband. Some farms have moved to entirely online sales.
  • We are building out a weather station across the state to get real time climate information. It helps farmers save money and take climate in consideration.
  • Technology is a way to get the next generation of farmers interested.
  • Also next generation of ag careers is very technical. Broadband is critical to that.
  • Broadband makes it possible to stay in rural MN.

3:30 p.m. – 3:45 p.m.  Office of Broadband Development Updates

Bree Maki, Executive Director, OBD

  • MN State Grants
  • Border to border grants provide funding to providers to reach expensive areas to serve
  • Lower population grants does similar but for even higher cost areas
  • Line Extension allows residents and businesses to request help
  • OBD is visiting communities that received funding.
  • We have 3 different grant rounds of MN funding happening now. (These are folks who got funding in the past.)
  • Line Extension funds need to get spent by end of 2026.
  • New hire on land use is doing a great job and helping folks with permitting.
  • If you need better service, please take a look at our Line Extension program.
  • We brough legislators to see a broadband provider and speed testing.
  • We give lessons to decision makers on how to work with fiber
  • BEAD
  • In May we were told to start the grant process over due to federal changes.
  • We just finished our first grant application round – it left 22,000 of the 76,000 eligible locations without a first-round bid
  • Yesterday we got new grant guidance
  • We need to do a public comment period for our final proposal – it will start on Aug 28 and hope to do a webinar to introduce that.
  • We are soliciting letters of support from local organizations to include with our final proposal. We want to make sure that BEAD eligible locations are correct on the maps we are using.
  • It seems like we may need State funding to meet State funding goals.                                                              

3:45 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Other Business, September Meeting Plans, Annual Report Discussion, Wrap-up

  • Future task force meetings will focus more on the upcoming report.

NTIA tells states not to lower broadband costs or risk BEAD funding

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Ars Technica reports...

The Trump administration is telling states they will be shut out of a $42 billion broadband deployment fund if they set the rates that Internet service providers receiving subsidies are allowed to charge people with low incomes.

The latest version of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) FAQ on the grant program, released today, is a challenge to states considering laws that would force Internet providers to offer cheap plans to people who meet income eligibility guidelines. One state already has such a law: New York requires ISPs with over 20,000 customers in the state to offer $15 broadband plans with download speeds of at least 25Mbps, or $20-per-month service with 200Mbps speeds.

Here are some specifics on the language…

The NTIA rules concern the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program, which is distributing $42.45 billion to states for grants that would be given to ISPs that expand broadband access. Although the US law that created BEAD requires Internet providers receiving federal funds to offer at least one “low-cost broadband service option for eligible subscribers,” it also says the NTIA may not “regulate the rates charged for broadband service.”

Latest BEAD “Benefit of the Bargain” grant round left 22,000 of the 76,000 eligible locations without a first-round bid

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Broadband Breakfast reports…

Minnesota’s “Benefit of the Bargain” round received ten fewer applications from fiber providers and left 22,000 locations without any bids.

Bree Maki, executive director of Minnesota’s Office of Broadband Development, told attendees at Mountain Connect on Tuesday that the state had seen a significant drop in participation from the fiber industry.

“There are about 22,000 of the 76,000 eligible locations that did not receive a first-round bid,” Maki explained. “We lost ten applications from fiber providers because of it—and rightfully so. This is confusing.”

Lumen Reports more than $900 million in Q2 2025 losses

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Broadband Breakfast reports…

The internet-service provider announced Thursday afternoon that it had sustained losses totaling $915 million in Q2. That prompted its stock to take a nosedive after markets closed, dropping nearly 7.5 percent before recovering slightly to $4.25 a share as of 5:30 PM ET, $0.20 lower than at closing. The diluted loss per share was $0.92 in the quarter, compared to a loss of $0.05 per share in Q2 2024.

Most of the company’s losses came from accounting changes tied to the sale of its fiber-to-the-home business to AT&T for $5.75 billion – not from money actually spent